


Red and Yellow Sunflowers

by KyryeDuBarie



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Angst, Fucked up main character, Multi, aged up Ayato, eh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2016-07-12
Packaged: 2018-04-02 07:37:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 115,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4051783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyryeDuBarie/pseuds/KyryeDuBarie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blood drips from her mouth to his.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Steel

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this back when the original series ended and it stayed as a two-page drabble in my computer for a while, yesterday in a mad coffee rush I decided to actually expand it as I like the idea.
> 
> A few things first, this happens about a year before the events in :RE and it's a bit AU-ish in that Ayato is only a year younger then Touka, making him nineteen, you'll guess why soon I guess.
> 
> Cookies to anyone who figures out where the story title comes from.

There was blood pouring through his fingers as he tried his best to assess whether to flee or fight.

The group of investigators was severely decimated, three laid dead on the ground, and of the three that remained standing one was going to be dead in a few minutes and the other two were pretty battered up.

All of his underlings were dead.

Ayato bit his lip.

It had seemed an easy battle, a first-class investigator and a rank 1 guiding a group of academy students through a dangerous sector.

Actually scratch that, it had looked like those people wanted to provide them with an easy meal.

When the fight had started, very predictably three of the four students had dropped dead in mere seconds. He'd gone for the first class investigator as his three companions attacked the remaining student and the rank 1.

After all what could two skinny women do against powerful ghouls?

The student was a black haired woman around his age, she was thin, but curvy and had looked like the easiest prey out of the squad, but Ayato found her holding Eiko's head barely a minute into the battle.

Apparently they were allowing random students to have quinque these days.

One wouldn't expect them to handle a quinque this way though; maybe the woman was some sort of special case.

Her quinque was an axe-like koukaku that she swung around with surprising ease.

The rank 1 investigator was another woman, older in looks, but elegant, she wielded a rinkaku that reminded him a little of Rize Kamishiro's –and that bastard's, really, it served him well if he'd ended up as a suitcase- she too, had jumped at his subordinates fearlessly.

Between those two, Ayato had been left at a numeric disadvantage, even if he had mortally wounded the first class investigator, he was beaten up himself, and hungry –he'd meant for them to be his meal after all.-

He was hiding behind what was left of a warehouse's wall, the night was warm and humid, and the dim lights of the industrial district only made the whole landscape more confusing, providing him with good enough cover.

The older woman began pulling the student along, murmuring something about assistance in her phone.

"Let go, you old hag" apparently the girl was still eager to fight. She struggled against the older woman's hold. Ayato could almost feel the rush she was getting out of the fight.

"Akagi-san. I can't allow-"A harsh tug on her arm "Your mother, I mean Akagi-san will…"

"To hell with my mother" Akagi pulled her arm back with enough strength that the other woman had to let go if only not to fall. "You should leave though, Fujiwara san, the boss' not gonna live to see the hospital"

"Akagi-san, this is an SS rated ghoul. You cannot be possibly planning to…" This was her superior right? Ayato scoffed, the older woman was treating this Akagi girl far too nicely.

He saw the woman begin running, passing him by completely. "Better even then, let us see how good a fight he can give me" Oh, he would, the girl infuriated him already, he'd amuse himself by having her for dinner.

"This is an order Akagi-san" the woman yelled dejectedly "He must be gone already anyway" the woman looked around, as if trying to spot the backup that, he knew, would still take a while. Finding nothing, and with a defeated expression she crumbled to the floor, holding an injury that he hadn't seen before.

That changed things, no matter how much of a wild card; he could take on a mere student alone, even injured as he was. The girl was reckless if he used that to his advantage-

A laugh interrupted his thoughts "He's still here Fujiwara-san"

And so, the woman proceeded to sprint towards his hiding place with her koukaku quinque gleaming around her right arm.

The entrance to the crumbling warehouse consisted of a narrow alley, half occluded by a huge green dumpster, Ayato had thought that'd hinder her movements, but once inside the alley, the woman simply propelled herself off the ground and onto the dumpster. Her quinque lagged behind her, hanging from her hand and nicking the metal as she leaped for the door.

He had been to the right of it, observing through the gap the door and the wall made, but as soon as she burst in, Ayato activated his own kagune, using the wings to propel himself off the ground and barely avoiding the sharp blade of the koukaku that she wasted no time –though seemingly a lot of energy- in deviating towards him.

She leaped at him, all black hair and ivory skin, her weapon made fast, powerful strikes, but at the same time it was predictable and the trajectory could hardly change due to its weight.

"Nice trail you left for me back there, Ghoul"

Beneath the mask, he smirked "Thought you might be foolish enough to come"

Her face twisted into a pout and without more words, the black haired woman leaped at him.

He managed to either avoid or block most strikes; still, she got him good and deep in the arm and used the wound on his side as an easy target.

With each block or dodge, they walked deeper into the warehouse.

Soon he'd have her somewhere she was easy to corner and even that Koukaku wouldn't be good enough to deflect his kagune.

Still, he was bleeding enough that he really needed to get this done fast, he thought as she managed to enlarge the wound on his arm.

Ayato kicked her on the stomach once he found an opening, sending her flying into a nearby wall. When the woman got up, he was already in the air, and as soon as she looked at him, he barreled her with crystalized kagune shards, she deflected the ones that would have grazed too close to her vitals by using her quinque as a shield, but the rest sliced deeply at her arms and legs, every time she moved small drops of blood would fly around her.

The second he landed though, he found himself nearly toppling over from the impact of her foot with his stomach.

She was fast, at least for someone dragging around a koukaku quinque. Seeing an opening, the girl swung the ax towards him. Ayato quickly shielded himself with one of his wings, fragments of it flew over them and the ax embedded itself deeply on his kagune.

His wings had been growing thin for a while, with the force that she had been using, a koukaku should have penetrated them easily. Maybe it was a stroke of luck, but something gnawed at the back of his mind, telling Ayato that there was no reason for the blow to have been that light.

He shook those thoughts away and assessed the situation, her quinque was stuck, Ayato mused, and he was almost out of RC cells. It was perfect.

Gathering as much strength as he could he tackled her and pinned her quinque arm down with both of his wings, the koukaku falling for her painfully bent hand as his hands quickly found her throat and squeezed hard.

He considered taking a bite out of her neck, right then and there, tearing out the chunk of flesh that held the blood vessels and letting her feel as she bled out while he enjoyed the taste of her blood sliding down his throat.

Putting himself in a vulnerable position like that was not something he particularly wanted to do.

He'd enjoy her when she was dead.

Soft, human flesh felt pliant beneath his hands, Ayato could've just snapped her neck, but something stopped him.

She wasn't even moving anymore, though she still lived, and the capillaries around her neck had started to burst and color her skin a ghastly shade of purple.

There was no resistance, no arms trying to push his wings away so she could make a last feeble attempt to escape.

Instead, she just stared at him with wide, dark grey eyes on a bloodied face that was the color of paper, all fight gone, and a second later her body relaxed below his hold.

By all reasonable thought, she ought to at least look scared- wasn't this woman just a student, anyway? - Maybe she thought someone would come to her rescue before he was done.

No.

She wasn't looking at anything but him, definitely not expecting back up, even from her superior and there wasn't nervousness or confidence in her eyes, not even rage or killing intent, she was just…

Resigned.

Ayato felt bile rise up his throat.

So the little girl lost one battle and wanted to die already?

He'd grant her that wish.

The second of hesitation that had overcome him when he'd pinned her down, however, cost him the woman, as her superior, who'd apparently been trying to catch up with them since they'd disappeared inside the ware house, appeared and threw her injured body at him, holding her rinkaku like a spear, and sirens filled the air as the horizon lit up in white police lights.

To avoid the rinkaku he had to leap off the girl. As he did, something caught his eye, strapped to her left leg –the side with the arm that he hadn't bothered to pin down- there were two quinque knives.

The steps of heavily armed investigators got closer and closer. By the time that he thought of attacking either of the women again to regain some strength, the student was up again, coughing her lungs out but holding her quinque steady.

Ayato figured it was better to disappear.

No one needed to know- even if they probably would, Eto had her ways-.

.

.

It took him longer than usual to get to the base, what with the stopping for food and the injuries. Of course, he could do what Hinami always said and eat the Tree's food in the mess hall with most of the other members.

But since he'd made a hobby out of hunting investigators, he figured that he might as well eat his kills.

Ayato liked more muscle in his meat anyway.

And he liked good fights.

That wasn't what he got then though, wounded and alone, he had to sneak through a CCG barrage and just barely managed to snatch one of the rookies that weren't even allowed into the perimeter yet.

The boy didn't even scream.

Somehow, he felt dissatisfied, against the sheer manpower of doves even a powerful ghoul like him was excused to flee –hell, Eto had turned tail after Arima had arrived at Anteiku- despite this, the thrill of the fight was quickly turning sour. She hadn't fought seriously –what the hell- and she hadn't looked any older than him, he'd heard that the CCGs current ace had been active since he was young, but these tales about young, super-powered investigators had never held his attention, mostly because he believed they were just excuses for the weaklings to hide behind.

Ayato wasn't an obsessive person, he never had been, but in that moment he wanted little but to have a good one on one with her –Akae? Akane? - draw the real monster he had seen at first, when she'd actually been interested in the fight, not the idiot with a death wish.

He decided that yes, he would find her, fight her.

And once he had, he would crush her, devour her.

Headquarters was silent. The top floor especially, which he shared with the other higher ups –and Hinami, because Eto had somewhat adopted the girl- felt like not an atom was moving.

Hinami was probably reading, Eto and Tatara were likely to be out and Noro was probably doing whatever he did in his free time, not like he was particularly loud or anything but swift on duty.

Shrugging he headed for his room, his torn, bloodied clothing weighing uncomfortably even though the wounds had long since closed.

Exhausted, he sat on his bed, not really bothered by some of the freshest stains of blood seeping into the sheets.

The knock and the quiet voice that asked him for permission to come in even before he even felt her outside was not a surprise, Hinami's senses had flourished in the past two years, and she had really become something.

"Ayato-kun"

"Hinami."

She had really become something to look at too.

Unaware of his inner musings, the girl sniffed at the air, instantly frowning "Are you wounded? I thought the blood wasn't yours at first but…"

"Tch most isn't. Ghoul just smells more than human."

She pursed her lips "It still smells too much like you anyway" Her hands fell to her lap and she looked down. Hinami had arrived knowing none of them, - just Eto's Takatsuki Sen persona- and accustomed to being treated like a little doll and doted over. She got attached to him at first because they were similar in age, but where physical affection was concerned Ayato had been adamant, by then the girl had all but given up on it. She'd hardened, too, but considering the circumstances that was to be expected.

"Ugh fine" He pulled the tattered black shirt over his head and let her check him over; Hinami had also gotten better at getting what she wanted.

The girl smiled brightly, despite the situation –though there was an undertone of sadness to it- and wordlessly started checking over Ayato's torso, even though they both knew that any of his wounds not having closed by then was highly improbable.

It was funny that she, the younger of the two acted more like a big sister than Ayato.

After she was done, he could feel her hands hesitating. Ayato sighed, figuring that once couldn't hurt when she was clearly worried,-Hinami hadn't grown up alone, fending for herself after all- and leaned back slightly, she jolted, before thin arms came to wrap around him in a grip that was a little too strong for her looks.

Her head was buried between his shoulder blades and he may have heard "Onii-chan" being whispered.

That was none of his business though.

In a way he didn't mind being surrogate for that guy –if anything, it was oddly satisfying- as long as it didn't get too troublesome. Hinami didn't deserve half of what had happened to her anyway, none of them did, at least at first.

Skinny arms let go of him, she sniffled, but by the time Ayato turned around her eyes were dry and just slightly red rimmed.

"Thanks Ayato-kun"

"… Yeah"

She stalked out quickly. To think that Ayato was the closest thing to emotional solace that the girl found those days was sad though very typical of their world.

Lying back on the bed he promised himself it'd only be five minutes until he got up and took a shower- no one minded the smell of blood, but he still felt gross-.

Ayato had a new, very specific prey.

And he knew just where to expect her.


	2. Routine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first time (and probably the only one) I update anything this quick, I didn't have class today, it's probably that, I have exams next week though.
> 
> This one I'm a bit nervous about.

She had come to the academy on Tuesday with stitches surrounding her arms and legs.

And a dark purple bruise that ran around her neck.

The whispers were what she'd expected, ever since she'd got a quinque they'd been there so it just made sense that people would talk even more about her losses than they did about her victories.

It wasn't a loss per se though; most of them would be dead if they'd been in her place.

So she didn't care much.

What did she care about anymore, anyway?

People walked past her, most upperclassmen could not stand her. A younger person that was already too much of a rival, a somber girl that had some sort of dark past and a famous family name, she was bound to have people hate her –or try to get to know her, but she'd made sure that they wouldn't be trying too hard from the get go.

Everybody gave her a wide berth, most of the time they only talked to her at parties. The only exception was a little group of girls that had been insistent enough the first day and she had figured would be useful to keep around and had found herself coming to even like in the past eight months.

They weren't bad people; in fact, they happened to be some of the least concerned with promotions and the like, their names were Shiina, Kami, and Fumiko.

Being at the Academy was boring; they tried to drill her over and over again with things that she'd been taught since infancy, and even going out on the specially appointed missions that they allowed her had become dull. The more powerful ghouls tended to be the most cautious or go for those ranked higher than her, and the small fries didn't take more than five minutes to decapitate.

On hindsight she should be a bit more excited, she'd gotten a big one just the day before. Black Rabbit had fought beautifully, fluid movements of a body corded with muscles that had been trained for a lifetime. He'd been smart and strong enough to nearly kill her, even when he was wounded and by the looks of it, starving.

She wondered how he'd be at his best, enough to kill her, for sure, he had even come close, the day before, when his hands had wrapped around her neck she'd felt death hovering over her, though he had hesitated for a second, she knew that he'd been about to snap her neck when Fujiwara intervened.

It was scary how resigned she had been though, even when knowing that she could still put up a fight, but it wasn't surprising, he was just the first Ghoul that she'd fought that was strong enough and could defeat her properly.

The woman longed for defeat, defeat and rest, she'd known for a while though it was unbeknownst to everybody else.

Even if with defeat came death, it wouldn't have mattered, she had been saved from her destiny, but that didn't mean she didn't have to fulfill it and when she thought about the whole story, she ought to have died a long time ago.

All of this passed through her head as she stared blankly at the teacher, talking about the history of Counter Ghoul measures –why even try? They were supposed to kill ghouls not recite them history lessons- it was her last class of the week and she was on leave from missions due to her injuries, so she'd have the weekend to herself.

Maybe she'd go downtown the next day, visit the few living ghosts of her past that remained.

Anything to not be at her house for too long.

She sighed and subtly pulled her earbuds out from below the collar of her uniform, bringing thick tufts of wavy black hair over her ears and shoulders so the professor couldn't see them if he happened to focus his attention on her.

The play button had always been her best friend.

My ship went down in a sea of sound

When I woke up alone I had everything…

Sinking into the music, she stared at the professor for the rest of the class.

.

.

Shiina and Kami found her as soon as the class was over.

She'd been hoping to give them the slip on the karaoke plans, but apparently that would not be the case.

Truthfully, she did want to go, it was just that lately it felt like she was getting too close to them.

That wasn't something she wanted.

Kami looked down at her "You're coming with us Rei, or so help me…" No nonsense, just like her.

"Pretty please Rei-chan? Everybody's going to this underground place that Takahiro found afterward" Shiina's bright green eyes were fixated on hers, the small girl radiated excitement.

Shiina had been the one to pursue a friendship with her at first, dragging Fumiko and Kami along in the very tortuous journey when everybody else had already given up on her. The girl herself was the epitome of sweetness, even physically –short, lithe and blonde- in a stark contrast to Kami's –tall, more muscular, sporting chin length brown hair- rougher demeanor.

It was hard to tell her no.

"Ugh, fine" She conceded "But we'll swing by my apartment first to grab some clothes" No way she was going out wearing the hideous uniform.

"I could always lend you something" She was a dreamer too. "I live closer"

"Anything that's a dress on you is a shirt on me" Which was true, there were six inches and a bra size between them and the woman didn't want to end up looking like a stripper.

Laughing, the shorter girl shrugged "True, we'll have to leave right now though if we want to make it."

Shiina started pulling her towards the exit.

"Fumiko said she'll meet us there?" She said, confused.

Kami responded though "Nah, she's having Naoto over"

Rei raised an eyebrow at her "Oh that was slow"

"Three months," Kami said with a rougher voice "They were trying to take it slow"

"Sure didn't seem so" Shiina piped in

Rei laughed "Yeah, she's not the feelings kind."

"Neither are you Reina"

"Yup" she responded, not even fazed at the harsh remark, Kami was very blunt, and it wasn't like that was a lie anyway. "I'm sure we could teach you a few things, still pining over Asaki?"

"Psh, if any-"

"C'mon guys, we'll be late" Shiina interrupted, they could get a bit intense when pissing the other off, it was not uncommon at all.

The walk from the academy to her apartment took about half an hour, it was a middle-class sector, not all that quiet, but she preferred it that way. Reina lived in a small; three story building that had belonged to one of her aunts before the woman's untimely passing –via ghoul no less-.

She occupied an apartment in the last floor and rented out the rooms on the lower ones. It was good pocket money.

All the way she had an uneasy feeling washing over her, a sort of excitement mixed in with fear, the sort that she felt on hunts.

Reina chalked it up to going out and sort of having a social life for once.

They climbed the fire escape, always making it a competition to see who got to the top more quickly. Shiina had the record on most wins up until then, she was fast, with her lithe frame and small stature she seemed to just fly from bar to bar.

Kami and Reina were tied for second place and Fumi came in last, mostly because she was a more strength based fighter.

Slipping inside took only a second, Reina looked at her messy bedroom and picked up a black skirt, hoping that the red shirt was somewhere in the mess that her bed was.

"You know, that looks gorgeous with your black boots, you should wear them"

She gave Shiina the eye "Do you want me to look like giant back there?" Said boots had five inch heels and Rei was 5'7, not short by any means, but Kami gave most guys a run for their money standing at 5'11, thank god she was nineteen and not likely to grow any more. "You could wear them though"

Shiina pouted "It's not fair that you three are so tall" Reina snorted, knowing full well that the shorter girl actually quite liked her height "But I don't mind if I do"

Choosing some combat boots she rummaged through her drawers, unsuccessfully searching for the red blouse. Eventually she just gave up and put on a scoop neck emerald green top, semi-transparent black tights and brushed through her hair while Kami borrowed one of her jackets.

Her two friends had been prepared beforehand, with outfits hidden in their bags at class.

They all knew that the place they were going to after the karaoke place was pretty much a rave spot and they wouldn't get away with half assed outfits.

Reina stepped onto the fire escape before the other two and lit a cigarette.

The night was shaping up to be crazy.

Looking out at the buildings she thought she spotted a blur of blue and black hanging from a building.

But it was gone once she looked back.

.

.

Karaoke had been fine, but the rave place was better.

As it was their custom, people actually tried to interact with her there, it ranged from interesting to downright annoying, but this evening had been particularly leaning towards the former, with most people already knowing that she liked to play mind games with them and only rarely wanted to dance.

Also, Kuroiwa had brought out a bottle of good rum.

He was one of the few people that she didn't find boring. Though straight laced and serious, the young man was personable and complex, not to mention as strong as his father, or so rumors said, she'd never trained with him.

That'd have to change on Monday.

The alcohol burned a path down her throat, in the distance, she saw Shiina dancing fluidly, and she wasn't the kind that belted out complicated moves, instead moving through basic steps with elegance. Kami was usually the one who went all fancy and bent her body in strange ways.

Reina chuckled, it wasn't like she herself didn't tend to stretch at any chance she had.

Ballet did that to you.

Most of the people in the room were already thrashed, or at least pretty dizzy. CCG kids were usually either sheltered or pathologically disturbed enough that they mostly just trained and trained, and the CCG school with its facilities on the outskirts of town and guards lining the perimeter didn't help. In contrast, the academy was a huge building in a very populated area of Tokyo. Unless you came from outside, you arrived there with nearly zero knowledge of things most teenagers already had tried until they were sick of them, and thus you ended up doing body shots in some transformed warehouse.

That she knew of, none of the academy kid's raves had been intervened until then, though it'd be funny to see the faces of the CCG higher ups when they had to bail out a whole class.

Pouring herself another glass, she surveyed the room for the people that she actually knew.

Kuroiwa was resting his head on some other kid's shoulder, nearly out for good.

Out on the dancefloor everything was just a little bit more erratic than it had been the last time she'd felt like dancing. She did though find Kami, stumbling through the crowd on the arm of that one really tall guy she'd been pining over for ages.

Well, so much for going home with her.

Shiina too, she realized when she found her friend's mop of blonde hair twirling into and out of someone's arms, though she couldn't quite see who as the girl's long hair obscured her face. It could always be Hamazaki though; those two had some strange ways of finding the other when they were drunk.

Finding herself a bit dizzy already, she stood up, a glance at Kuroiwa and Yokoshima told her that they wouldn't be drinking any more that evening, so she drained the last of the bottle and walked into the maelstrom that the dancefloor had become.

Inside, all of her classmates were writhing bodies. An empty feeling filled her and she threw her head back and into someone's shoulder. The person wrapped their arms around her, as they sinuously moved their hips in unison.

The flashing lights, and the bass, a somewhat older but still very handsome man shoved a pill in her hands with a smirk that tried to be reassuring and was anything but.

She pulled him in instead as her other dancing partner left. The dealer was a good dancer, he moved her any way he wished to, and in a moment, when she bent backwards he just followed, capturing her lips with swift, practiced ease. This is better, she thought, than the pill, even when lightheaded, she was not the kind to consume, that she knew well enough.

Reina followed the man to a dark corner of the warehouse- noting that yes; it was Hamazaki Ayu that Shiina was hooking up with- There were hands all over, and if he was fazed by the stitches from her encounter with black rabbit, he didn't show it.

Walking out of the warehouse, she gave a disheveled looking Shiina a wink as the other mouthed at her that Kami had bailed with Asaki- and looked very much ready to leave with Ayu herself- there was a look of understanding between the two friends and each left with their respective companions

Reina found herself clinging tighter to the dark haired man's arm.

.

.

The night ended in his apartment, which was surprisingly close to hers- or as close as anything ever was in Tokyo, it was still about an hour long walk away from her place- but at least she didn't have to take the train so she wasn't forced to stay until they started running.

It was three am.

She figured it'd be safe, it wasn't the quietest of neighborhoods, but the alcohol was wearing off –and she'd never been that drunk anyway, just eager to unwind a bit- and she was a CCG investigator with a quinque knife hidden in the folds of her skirt.

Slipping out quietly was only a problem because her earbuds were in and she wanted to sing, and while walking down the solitary streets her voice resonated like a silver bell.

I'm a foolish, fragile spine

I want all that is not mine…

Somehow, she felt uneasy, that wasn't the first long night walk that she'd made and it probably wouldn't be the last, but she felt like there was a pair of eyes piercing her back. Before going out she'd chalked it up to nerves or excitement –which would have been out of character, at least for her- but now, she figured that someone or something was following her.

Probably a ghoul, though she had to wonder why it had yet to attack.

At least for the moment, she figured it was better to hurry home while pretending that she hadn't felt the presence.

She'd figure out what to do when she had Roujirou within reach.

If it still hadn't attacked it must have meant that it wasn't planning to kill her yet.

To her left, a flash of blue caught her eye, a stranger's silhouette hanging from a fire escape.

She walked faster.

.

.

It never did attack though, she mused, she'd gotten to the apartment within half an hour and though she'd caught her stalker looking at her for brief moments three times, he'd just vanished.

From the speed it was obvious that he was a ghoul.

It was five, and nothing had blown her door in.

She figured it was either safe or the thing was waiting until she felt asleep to come in and strangle her.

Well then, let him come, she took a shower and changed into a long, white nightgown.

Picking up the box of cigarettes and her sketch pad, Reina stepped out into the fire escape.

What she liked the most about the place was that none of the tenants from the first two floors ever came out, and the alley that it faced was lined with two story houses, it wasn't a street view but it gave her amusement as well as privacy. There were a few taller buildings two streets away, and that's from where again, she felt someone watching.

Upon closer examination, she also saw a small blur of blue blowing in the breeze of dawn.

And her brain made the connection.

Holding her cigarette with her left hand –something that had taken time to learn- she picked up a pencil and started sketching, first long ears and then a somewhat prominent snout and hair protruding from behind the mask that would be blue if she had colors, a tall build of corded muscles clad in black leather.

It was stupid, yes, but it wasn't like she didn't long to finish their fight, and he seemed to feel similarly as he hadn't tried to attack her when she'd been vulnerable and nearly disarmed in the street.

Dying wouldn't bother her much at this point anyway.

Her second cigarette finished and thrown to the alley, Reina glided back inside, a page of the sketchpad remaining seemingly forgotten on the corner of the fire escape, weighed down by a paper eraser.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reina is the kind of character that I like, but I'm not quite sure how to write, her darkness is an odd thing.
> 
> Reviews are appreciated, I like to know how you guys think I'm doing


	3. React

**React**

The CCG academy was in a very busy part of the city.

That didn't mean it was easy or even possible to infiltrate. When you looked at the streets that surrounded it with enough detail, you could see the cameras and hidden agents -posing as civilians and failing-.

Friday had been the first day he had not had to do work or clean-up of the ranks.

Eto had been particularly demanding that week too.

He knew that his prey would be out at some point in the afternoon and that he'd have to somehow lure her into a place where they could fight undisturbed.

For some reason, Ayato wanted to fight this woman with both of them going all out, no dirty tricks or circumstantial disadvantages, just raw power.

A small themed café occupied the corner of a street just in front of the academy. Ayato smirked at his luck.

He went in; wearing the most random outfit he'd managed to throw together- a pair of jeans that he didn't remember buying and a shirt that happened to be merchandise for one of Eto's books. Most of his older human clothing didn't fit anymore, and he never bothered with buying more- so he'd seem a normal university student, stopping over to catch up on a book for class while he had a cup of coffee.

"Hello master, what are you craving this evening?" The waitress had eyed him up and down and adjusted her cleavage as soon as he'd come in, the flirty tone did not surprise him, even though he'd showed just about no interest when she'd come over to hand him the menu -humans could be very irrational-.

"A large coffee and…" He looked down, picking the first solid pastry that his eyes fell upon "A piece of strawberry shortcake." He wasn't going to eat the thing after all though the waitress did let out something that sounded like a squeal.

His order arrived a few minutes later, along with an unsolicited phone number that he ripped in half as soon as he saw.

He spent the next two hours hiding behind his book and pretending to nibble at the shortcake that was slowly but surely ending up in a plastic bag. A second cup of coffee came to be in order, and the taste in that place was actually decent, so he indulged himself.

It was barely two when he arrived, so it didn't surprise him that it took a while before the doors to the building complex opened, Hinami had lent him one of her books in the morning and he managed to keep himself occupied with it –it was one of Eto's actually, brutal and psychologically traumatizing, he could see the appeal.-

When the door did finally open, he stared at the stream of students that poured out, all of them wearing the standard stuffy uniform. It took a while until she came out, white shirt unbuttoned at the top and hair in a high bun that let her long pale neck come into view.

The purple-blue bruise that ran around it was also in a clear display, but she didn't seem to mind.

Ayato was going to break that neck for real this time.

To his chagrin, however, she was not alone. Akagi –he'd recalled the name that morning- walked between a short blonde and a very tall brunette, and those two didn't seem to be going anywhere else soon.

He left the money for his order on the table, lacking the patience to deal with the moon-eyed waitress again and briskly walked out of the café, remembering to dispose of the strawberry shortcake on a conveniently placed trash can.

After he'd gotten past the perimeter where there was heavy surveillance due to the academy, he resorted to tracking them by jumping rooftops.

The three women ended up climbing a fire escape like each was racing the others to the top, to the third floor of a nondescript apartment building. He only got close enough to find out that the place reeked of quinque steel and smoke with a hint of Ghoul blood.

That situation would be no good; he needed to get her alone -it wasn't that he thought he couldn't deal with the other two, they seemed like normal students after all, but he wanted to fight her, not the reinforcements that would surely be called-.

Pulling out a black cape and his mask from the backpack, he settled in a shadowy niche between two tall buildings about two streets away from the woman's apartment.

A few minutes after they had gone in  _she_ came out, wearing a green blouse and something black on her legs with his bruise still clearly visible on her neck, and lit a cigarette.

When her two friends joined her, they set off and he followed.

First they'd gone to a karaoke bar.

At this point he was wondering if things shouldn't be left for another day, when they walked out and he was almost sure that she'd separate from them, he reconsidered.

Until they headed for a shadier part of the district.

His target walked through the streets with propriety, relaxed but haughty, moving through the heated air like she was much more comfortable with those more dangerous streets rather than the posh ones that had surrounded the karaoke bar.

Curiosity peaked once again; he followed them through the rapidly darkening city to a warehouse from which music could be heard.

Ayato abstained from going in at first, but eventually figured that there wasn't much danger in it, as everyone seemed to get through the door without so much as a word from a huge guy standing in front of it –unless they looked too old and thus like a cop, Ayato had no potential issues on that front, being nineteen-.

Inside the music instantly made his head pound, he'd waited outside for a good two hours, entertaining himself with the book, so who knew where his target could be.

He finally found her sitting in a sofa with a guy that looked a little bit too familiar for some reason, despite the fact that he'd never seen him before.

Ayato leaned into a wall and waited.

Some random girl shoved a cup into his hands and he downed it while he continued to walk around so he'd not become conspicuous in an enclosure filled with doves in training.

The thing in the cup made him somewhat lightheaded -ghouls could technically drink though it was a rare occurrence-.

After two hours of repeating the cycle, he saw his target get up from her sofa and dive into the dancefloor with the eyes of a madwoman.

She moved like there was a current going through her, sharp lines from her arms, and undulating sways from her hips.

He was dizzy – not drunk, like hell he would get drunk while hunting- and somewhat wanted to pry her – _his prey-_  from the crowd and devour her in the middle of that dancefloor, her sweet blood sliding down his chin, pliant flesh bending and breaking and tearing apart beneath his fingertips.

Ayato looked away, so as to avoid doing something that would land him in a suitcase.

When he looked back up after what seemed an eternity, her found that she'd chosen a prey of her own, the woman's –Reina, he'd heard one of her friends call her- hooded eyes regarded a slightly older man with carnivorous appetite as she rejected the pill that he offered her and put his arms around her shoulders.

They danced for a bit, what'shisname's hands all over her. Ayato growled before he could stop it, and had to remind himself that he'd have her soon enough.

His stupid aneki would have chided him for being a hot head –though she was no better-.

He looked back up and his prey was suddenly no longer there.

A second later he found her heading for the door, practically hanging off the man.

Once outside, Ayato took a deep breath, and followed them.

The street were a blur and he was pissed off at that man for holding her up, he could have already lured her away, challenged her, but if there were any witnesses there was likely to be back up.

A few hours later, as she came out of the house that he supposed was that man, smelling in a way that was unlike her.

He would have attacked her if not for her being disarmed and still clearly slightly intoxicated –he was too, though he'd never have admitted that-. Instead Ayato followed, hoping to confront her at her house.

She however seemed to suspect that someone was following her and kept turning in all directions, he could have sworn that she'd caught sight of him a couple of times.

At her apartment, she made a dash for the fire escape and climbed like hell was on her heels, stumbling a bit from the alcohol that had yet to leave her system. Once she was inside, he heard the distinct sound of a case clicking open. Ayato just stood there though, exhausted from following her around.

A few minutes later he heard the shower running on that floor.

Dawn was spilling over the horizon.

It was stupid, but he decided to take a nap in the nice little niche that he'd found earlier before engaging her.

He made his way over to it without hurrying, once he was cradled in the concrete, he turned back to find her once again stepping onto the fire escape, wearing a white nightdress with a cigarette in her mouth and what looked like a notebook in her hand.

Reina looked straight at him.

Or so it seemed, as soon as she had, she looked down and started sketching.

Heaviness overcame him.

Ayato closed his eyes.

.

.

It was the unbearable heat of the midday sun that woke him up, as well as some random bird that had decided that he ought to be dead to not have moved in several hours from such a place.

The creature found out how alive Ayato was in a rather violent way.

Single mindedly he made for the apartment-there didn't seem to be anyone in-, climbing the fire escape like he'd seen her do before.

On the fire escape to his prey's room remained only a paper sheet weighed down by a paper eraser.

A familiar shape on the paper caught his attention, carefully; he bent down to retrieve it.

_Hello_

What followed was a nigh perfect drawing of him wearing his mask.

Ayato turned around and met steel grey eyes and that damned Koukaku quinque.

.

.

No animosity, no rage, no hatred.

Bloodlust.

He'd followed her there, that look in her dark rimmed eyes being the only clue he had that she was not leading him into a trap.

It was a warehouse, not unlike the one that they had first fought in. The air was hot and humid and there were pipe leaks on the walls.

Chances were high that it was due for demolition.

She was wearing light armor on her arms only, and aside from it she wore only a pair of black cargo pants, boots and a white wife beater.

All things aside, she had a lovely shape.

He licked his lips, thinking of the battle to come.

And there they were.

Her quinque latched securely on her right arm and his kagune out and blazing.

A cigarette was stuck between her lips; the smoke swirled around her, blended with her hair. "I'm Reina" Her voice was deep in a rough way, the cigarettes, Ayato supposed.

"Did you think I'd give you my name dove bitch?" He snarled

Surprisingly, she laughed "No" the statement took Ayato aback "I just figured I might as well give you mine"

The bluntness seemed to be one of the defining traits of her personality, she didn't beat around the bush, another thing was that she seemed unfazed by everything, she hadn't flinched even when she'd found him standing on her fire escape and had known exactly who he was.

Ayato had not been wearing his mask.

_"_ _Come" there had been something to her voice that spoke of both emptiness and fatigue "Let's finish the fight, Black Rabbit"_

_If seeing his face had any effect on her, she didn't show it._

_"_ _You'll get your wish this time, Dove"_

_The woman had smiled then, and proceeded to walk out of the room without looking back. Ayato had followed with his kagune ready below the cape._

The cigarette's dying breath marked the start of the fight, she tossed it to one side, not bothering to turn off the thing.

Before it hit the ground each had dashed towards the other.

In a way, she fought like Touka, strategy against his no holds barrier. Jumping around like she was dancing and executing movements with the oddest combination to throw him off his game.

The first attack for example, was a high kick that she masked with a swing of her quinque. Ayato felt the foot more than saw it get embedded on the soft flesh below his chin, his wings were busy blocking the quinque, and moving without releasing it was impossible.

Her legs packed quite a punch at least.

As white lights danced in front of his eyes Ayato took the chance to grab the leg that she was retracting and push it back against her chest, hoping to hear the ligament's tearing as he disengaged his kagune from her weapon.

Nothing happened, even with her knee at her shoulder, she pulled at her quinque, hard, and while she managed to pull it free from his wings, it knocked her off balance, and Ayato, realizing that for some reason she seemed inhumanly flexible bulled her leg back and used it to throw her to the other side of the room.

She got up, wiping blood from the corner of her mouth and pulling her quinque up. She dashed towards him. He shot shards of kagune at her; they barely grazed her as she ran to avoid them and swung her axe at the ones that seemed like they were going to reach her.

Then suddenly, she stopped, about ten feet from him, whipping the axe around with one hand to deflect even more shards and –with a maniacal smirk- snapping her right hand in a strange way that was quick enough to seem a trick of light even to his eyes.

It took a fraction of a second more for the pain to register. A quinque steel knife was embedded deeply in his stomach, the wound by itself was not even close to fatal, he'd heal, but it was bleeding profusely, and the woman had resumed her dash toward him, and he soon found an axe buried in his forearm as his kagune dug into her shoulder.

She tried to push it further in, probably trying to nick the bone, but upon finding that it couldn't be done Reina resorted to making a grab for the knife still buried in his stomach, only to be stopped by Ayato's other wing that had come to wrap protectively around his body.

Sensing the danger she leaped backwards from him, making sure that the motion at least elongated the deep gash on his arm.

Ayato willed his kagune to wrap around the upper part of his torso and his left arm –He could only half feel the right one-. The wing that he'd left free elongated and turned into spikes.

The woman on the other side of the room was panting and bleeding profusely through a deep gash above her clavicle.

A growl escaped his throat and he leaped intent on finishing with one stroke, to the neck, or the heart. He saw her steel herself and surreptitiously pull another knife from her pants. Instead of coming close as he'd intended Ayato shot several kagune spikes at her, fast enough that she would most surely not be able to dodge, then, when she should have been caught off guard and unable to use her hidden knife, she didn't not seem to stop moving for a second, like she had intended for this, her grin widened and her axe was all of a sudden flying towards him at the same speed as his spikes were at her.

His unprotected flank took the bite of the hit, the axe ripped off a good chunk of it and blood cascaded to the ground.

At the same time, he saw that she'd dodged three of the spikes but one had managed to pierce her stomach and the other two were deem in her le.

There was blood dripping from both of their mouths.

The portion of his kagune that was acting as armor crumbled away, his RC cells rushing towards the injury to try and mend the damage.

A low whimper startled Ayato out of his own pain; she had broken off the spikes at the tip, probably to prevent internal bleeding.

Groaning, the woman moved her hands to her pockets to reveal three more quinque knives.

Quickly, he returned his wing to its original state and barreled with shards as she ran towards him, visibly limping.

His wing has nearly run out when she reached him, surging with a pained groan she jumped above him and it Ayato found a knife wedged behind his clavicle, the wound gushing blood like crazy.

The next knife had apparently been meant for his heart, but he saw the hand before it managed to get there and grabbed it, twisting it in a way that was very obviously painful. Her other hand dropped the knife that had been there poised and ready to sink through his lung and into his heart.

Ayato grabbed her arm with both hands and shoved her into a nearby wall.

His kagune had run out, all of his remaining RC cells were trying to fix the damage to the blood vessels at his side and his neck. She'd probably known this; his wing had disintegrated in front of her eyes.

Eyes that were empty, accepting, just like the first time.

The clang of the knife against the floor had been her surrender.

Now that he had her pinned to the wall he could tell that there were more in her pockets. More that she hadn't tried to reach for.

But what did that matter? Ayato could feel the edges of his vision going black, he hurriedly wrapped his hands around her neck, mimicking the last time they'd been in that position.

Her body also relaxed, fully prepared.

"Do it"

Half of his vision was gone then, and his body screamed at him to eat – _devour, soft flesh-blood, right in front of him-_  without relinquishing his hold on her neck, his mouth mover like it had a mind of its own sinking on the flesh of her arm.

She cried out.

Ayato wasn't sadistic, restraining himself after the one bite that he'd gotten, he steeled his hands and tried to squeeze -oh, he'd eat, but she'd been a good enough opponent that he'd spare her the agony of feeling chunks of her flesh be ripped from her body-

Tried.

Because in that moment, and in front of the incredulous eyes of the girl who apparently wanted to die, his vision went fully black.


	4. Roulette

**Roulette**

The carousel of weeks turned around thrice and she was again sitting in the countermeasures history class.

Reina's eyes threatened to close completely at the monotonous tone and the oppressing warmth of the classroom.

That she'd taken her usual seat at the very back did not help.

_She'd been about to win, her knife would have pierced his lung and heart and then she would have swiped it to the side to make sure that they were irreparable even for a ghoul._

_The feeling had creeped up on her as it always did, hopelessness. She killed him there, and then what. Why should she even? What were his victims to her? Wasn't she off-duty without her superior's eyes stuck to her back? He needed to kill people like she needed to pay for dead cattle._

_For all that she knew he could be more of a person than she'd ever be._

_She with her lukewarm blood and ruthless mind._

_Reina had thrown her heart away –lost it, whatever- a long time ago._

_Never having been like most of the other investigators, she didn't hate ghouls, she loved fighting, yes and for her age, she'd been made into a pretty good investigator._

_But she never had quite wanted to be one; there had just been no way that she wanted to take once everything had happened. It wasn't that she didn't want to be an investigator; not really, I was that she didn't want to be anything and she just so happened to have had the potential drilled into her._

_She didn't hate ghouls._

_And she was tired, very tired, she had been for two years._

_When his hands pushed her against the wall, she felt a great relief._

A dull ache on her forehead brought her back to her reality. No one seemed to have noticed, once the pain had passed she found her eyelids drooping again.

This time, she decided, she might as well face the stupid memories, no one seemed to be watching anyway, only Shiina- who was giving her an amused look from two rows ahead- and she was no one to be worried about.

Reina laid her head on the desk.

_"_ _Do it"_

_His black sclera had widened, unfocused as they were._

_Why had he not done it yet?_

_The primal instinct of hunger won over his mind that was trying to comprehend what had happened though, and he took a bite at her shoulder._

_Pain raced through her nerve endings, like white hot fire, it was nothing that she hadn't had before._

_She yelped and he stopped some semblance of self, creeping back into his eyes._

_His hands tightened around her throat._

_And he blacked out._

This time the heat woke her up, but she was too tired to lift her head from the table.

She'd left the young man there, seeing that his injuries were beginning to mend. Reina had been half tempted to lay there and let him feast on her when he awoke.

But she had to die in battle; it couldn't be any other way. So she dragged herself and her quinque far enough from the warehouse and called for assistance, arguing that she had been attacked by a figure that was completely hooded and that she had no idea who it was, but she'd only barely managed to escape.

It was just a huge lie

Her eyes closed again

_There were blue blurs hanging around her occasionally._

_Reina didn't think too much about it._

_That day… she could have always killed him_

_But_ she _di_ dn _'t_ really wan _t to_  kill  ** _him._**

"Hey, get the hell up Rei, its over" Eh? Kami?

"Y'know, I'm happy we don't get these specially appointed missions if they are so draining" Fumiko's perky voice chimed in the background.

"Ugh, I just slept awfully. It has nothing to do with that" She replied sleepily.

"You have been very tired lately though" Shiina helped her up carefully; Rei had always been weak when waking up. "And your injuries that time…"

"It's not the worst I've had" Lie "I'm just training more lately" Truth, she had started training with other weapons too.

"Uh huh, just know that you're making me worry a lot."

She directed a deadpan expression at the shorter blonde "You're not my mom Shi"

"I keep you eating and wearing pretty clothes I might as well be" she giggled "And Kami-chi can be the dad"

"The hell? If any child of mine turned out like that-"

Fumiko chose just that moment to interrupt "By the way didn't you have one of those missions today?"

Her groan had probably been audible outside, true, she loved fighting, but that day she just wanted to go lie in bed and rest her muscles "Ughh, shit yes. I've got to be there at five. And I have to dress up"

"It's four already," Kami said "And why?"

"Undercover" she all but started dragging herself toward the door. "They're having me take it easy and being bait. I'd rather be killing things."

Behind them, a happy aura grew "Let us doll you up then?" Shiina was smiling happily though there was something creepy about it.

"No, why?"

The other gave Rei the evil eye while pulling out her cosmetics bag. "Because it'll make me happy and you won't have to move a muscle"

Well that Idea was appealing, "Fine, just no pink lipstick, I'm supposed to be a whore, but I'm not going to look like a trashy one"

Shiina all but squealed with delight and Kami and Fumiko's chuckles filled the room

.

.

Being bait sucked.

Rei was stuck in the most uncomfortable dress ever made, which was a feat for something that barely went from her breasts to her butt.

It was also yellow, she hated yellow. The only thing that she probably liked from the outfit were the garters, they hid her brand new scars – faint, thankfully, CCG had some seriously good scar preventing treatments, the bruises had all but gone too- and were black and lacy The situation was made far worse by the fact that she didn't have her quinque and the only thing she could use to defend herself against the S rated ghoul if the squad failed was a long knife tucked in her knee high boots.

The scar on her upper arm was far less faint and pretty, but in the red light, it wasn't all that apparent.

Why she couldn't hide Roujirou in some alley and kill the fucker herself was beyond her.

And she was so tired.

This ghoul was the only kind that she actively disliked. To an extent, she'd never really resented them, they needed to eat, and even humans would turn to eating one another when food was nonexistent. Others didn't think the same, and she understood, there were people with personal grudges –friends, family, lovers that had been lost- and while she considered herself quite pragmatic, Rei couldn't say that she wouldn't go on a rampage on the individual –ghoul or human- that harmed the people that she cared about –and such had been proved already-.

So she usually didn't hate them, she acknowledged that there were sides and she was on one of them, but didn't despise them for eating, or defending themselves –even liking to fight was fine by her, ghouls were entitled to hate doves as much as doves hated them-. However ghouls like this one were the exception, they preyed on helpless people with the only goal of obtaining a specific type of prey and making them suffer through abhorrent torments. Deep down she knew that the reason a good portion of the ghoul populace tended to be like that had to do with the way they were pursued and exterminated, but it wasn't like there was a better way to handle the issue, after all, humanity- like any other race- had to fight back.

These weren't any different from human serial killers.

This fact made her even more pissed off that she wasn't doing the disposing.

She leaned against a streetlamp outside of the clubs that the Ghoul apparently frequented.

Descriptions were a tall man in his forties with a wiry build, though the witnesses were hardly ever reliable on account of intoxication.

Victim profile was tall young brunettes with pale skin. They had also apparently been some of the boldest on the street.

The street itself reeked of illegal dealings and sleazy businesses. Neon signs and the smoke from thousands of cigarettes –including hers- helped create a thin layer of red tinted fog that only masked partially some of the more unsavory characteristics to the place.

She tried to seem confident.

Basically she turned down every man that did not match the description, and for the few who did she acted as gaudy as she could and demanded a ridiculous sum-they wouldn't refuse if she was going to be too dead to ask for the money at the end of the night-.

No matches up until then.

Someone grabbed her from behind "Say, whore, how much?"

Rei turned around roughly, surveying him as quickly as she could.

Tall, wiry, creepy and mid-forties check.

"Not just any fucker can have me, you know stud? I'm the very best. I'll turn your world upside down." His hand reached down to squeeze her ass, Rei swore she was about to gag. "So you'll have to pay for that. How about sixty thousand yen?"

As the man looked down at her she could see the pure hate in those eyes. His breath hit her face full on.

He stank of blood.

"You better be worth it whore" A smile spread over his thin lips "I'll make you worth it."

Wasting no time, she pressed the button that would tell the squad to come in.

The man grabbed her roughly and proceeded to drag her to a parking lot.

"Tadeshima" A voice she knew from somewhere floated up behind them "The boss isn't done with you yet."

With surprising strength, the guy turned around; dragging her with him Reina's eyes could not have possibly widened more.

"Ayato, I've said my piece" The man grumbled, Squeezing at her shoulder almost too tightly. "Get the hell out of my way"

It had taken a fraction of a second for them to recognize each other. Even with her altered looks, she could tell from the way he was looking at her the same way she was sure that he could tell that she recognized him as black rabbit.

 _Leave_  her eyes said.

There was a sort of inquisitive spark in his.

She had after all not added his face to the database. To be sincere, she hadn't really wanted to, fighting him was a thrill in the moments when she wanted the adrenaline, and he was a prime subject for the moments when the overwhelming urge to give up came upon her.

"You're free to do as you wish" he said in a tone that was dripping with mockery, the other man did not seem to catch it though, engrossed as he was with his catch. "Just remember you were warned "

"You're an idiot if you believe I'd let myself get captured."

Black Rabbit simply smiled contemptuously and turned away.

The bastard was a nuisance for both of them huh?

With a growl, and his identity practically confirmed –though he didn't know that yet- the older ghoul grabbed her roughly by the forearm and dragged her to a parking lot two blocks away.

Just as they got in bright lights turned on at their backs.

"This is the CCG, release the lady and surrender Ghoul" Ennoshita's voice boomed through the megaphone "You are surrounded"

Enraged, the ghoul's sprouted his kagune –a bikaku that looked like multiple lizard tails- "I-if I'm surrounded I might as well kill the whore then, a last fucking mea-"

Those were his last words.

She had not been supposed to intervene, but technically she was just making things easier for her superiors.

The tip of the knife protruded from his forehead, the hilt from his jaw. Her arm was drenched in blood.

Just to be sure, she pulled the knife out and cut his heart from side to side too.

.

.

Black Rabbit's name was Ayato.

Or at least he was known as Ayato.

It was a useless little piece of information.

But taking into account that he had refused her his name that time, it felt like a triumph to have learned it, despite the awful circumstances –the satisfaction that stemmed from killing that creep still hummed within her two days later-. Two weeks before she had been very much ready to die. Not knowing his name had not mattered much then.

She was still ready to die most of the time though.

In a way, she was just awed at it because he'd let her go, even though he had recognized her. And if he'd outed her then she'd have been good as dead or worse –ghouls and humans had equal capacity for cruelty towards those they considered natural enemies she had found-. Rare as it was, he intrigued her, Reina was accustomed to feeling little but apathy towards most living beings, no matter how amazing or amusing they were supposed to be –she'd seen so much already, too much maybe, she'd grown weary of watching-.

Maybe it had been for not finishing him off or handing him in that time, maybe it had just been practicality. It was still quite interesting.

It was early Sunday morning, three weeks after they'd fought in the warehouse; she wore the same white nightgown as she leaned on the fire escape and sucked the life out of a cigarette. The heat was even more humid, even this early in the morning.

She'd often looked up at the little hole between two buildings that she had spotted him in that time, but he'd never been there.

He was interesting, that much she would admit, he was one of the bad ghouls, yes, part of Aogiri Tree, but he was not cruel.

 _And he's not hard on the eyes_ she mused  _shame he's a Ghoul_

Sighing, she flicked the remains of her cigarette off the veranda and turned to go in.

Someone was looking at her.

And there, in the little whole, she could see some unusual vises of blue.

Reina ripped a page out of her sketchpad.

If he killed her, well, she'd unravel his mind first, and then he could do whatever he wanted.

Also, she'd always been curious about this particular issue, and everybody at the academy seemed to have different opinions.

She'd long been ready for death anyway.


	5. Irrational

**Irrational**

He returned to the private room that Aogiri was using more than a little bit pissed off at himself.

Turning the woman in should have been a given.

Instead, he had hesitated.

Ayato kept telling himself that it had simply been a matter of convenience, leaving the idiot to the CCG and ridding himself of the rather bothersome job of having to dispose of him, as Eto had ordered as soon as the other ghoul had left the room.

It had nothing to do with the fact that he'd searched across nearly every ghoul face database and been unable to find his.

"Oh ho, you're giving him time Ayato? Very unlike you" Eto's high voice greeted him as soon as he slid the paper door out of the way.

"He'll stop being a problem soon"

The small woman got up and walked towards him, there was an air of majesty to her –which made sense, considering what she was- "Did you operate a change of heart on our little Tadeshima?"

He smirked, refusing to bite "Trust me on this one"

"I hope you're right"

The conversation went back to the usual. They were meeting two Ghoul leaders from a gang that worked in that district.

Trees need to grow.

Both men were Chinese, so Tatara was doing most of the talking, as they very frequently lapsed into mandarin of which Ayato couldn't understand a thing

He however hated the look that the younger of the two was giving Hinami. If asked, he was all for ripping them to pieces and taking their underlings. Powerful Ghouls or not, what the tree wanted were numbers.

Something pinched his leg below the kotatsu, trying not to be obvious; he turned to find Hinami's wide brown eyes staring at him inquisitively.

I was listening those eyes said and knowing Hinami, he'd have to explain why he'd let the man go.

Outside, blinding white lights appeared all of a sudden, and an amplified voice cut through the usual hubbub of the street. The capture seemed to be taking place one or two blocks away, even with a normal ghoul's heightened senses it was hard to make out what the man was saying.

"Hinami-chan" Eto said, voice ringing through the room. Hinami instantly closed her eyes and proceeded to concentrate on the outside sounds.

Eto's eyes were fixated on him, both amused and slightly annoyed.

It looked like Tadeshima had wasted no time.

The Ghoul screamed too, but at the last syllable, he cut off with a sick gurgle, like someone had cut through his throat.

Five minutes passed until Hinami decided that all that they could learn from the group that was useful was said.

She slowly opened her eyes.

"Tadeshima is dead" It was all the better for everyone, the only reason the man had been in that reunion was because he'd been hunting the Chinese's girls and that was hindering the merge. "They were after him; we don't have to expect any coming after us."

"Ohh, so you knew, Ayato-kun"

"Like hell I could have, I gave the bastard time to leave or die, he was too distracted with one of his whores to pay attention, though" He wrinkled his nose "That was probably what killed him too"

He didn't even know why he was lying, it was a strange sensation. "She was" Hinami suddenly interrupted lifting her head from her hands where she had been checking if there really was nothing left to find out "The prostitute I mean, she was an agent. Though she wasn't supposed to kill him, her name starts with an A- Akagi?"

"That bitch!" Li Hao, the eldest of the gangsters surged up, kakugan blazing like dying embers –the younger was still looking at Hinami lasciviously, probably even more than before. Ayato wanted to rip his head off- his associate restrained him though.

"Brother, don't act rashly"

"It's that bitch. She murdered Soo Hee. I've waited for fifteen years; I'm not letting her get away"

Fifteen years? The woman had to have been three then.

Li Hao made to leave, but Tatara's voice stopped him.

"I do not think that it is the same person Li Hao" The other man's eyes were on Ayato, like he was being accused "That investigator wouldn't be here hunting lower class ghouls. Don't you think?"

Lower? As far as Ayato knew, the man had held an S-rating.

Thankfully a confused Hinami had asked what he himself was clueless about. "Is this Akagi person someone important?"

Tatara's gaze drifted to her, eyes softening "Akagi Yoshino is a member of a ghoul exterminating family. She's been traveling between Counter Ghoul institutes in recent years, but there was a time about fifteen years ago when she was one of the most feared investigators in China and Japan"

So it was just someone with the same last name. "Oh, that makes sense"

"Li Hao" Ayato raised his voice, the struggling man turned to him "The woman I saw could not have been more than twenty, I suggest you don't attract the doves to us" His kakugan were activated, just like the other man's.

"It was definitely her that killed him, I heard her superior scolding her" Hinami piped up.

Slowly, the Chinese man sat back down, shoulders slumping in a defeated curve "Fifteen years ago that bitch Akagi Yoshino killed my daughter; I hope you'll forgive me for my rudeness"

"As long as you calm down" Eto intervened.

The man breathed in deep and the negotiations continued.

.

.

He decided to believe that it had been in order to draw attention away from the merge and save himself some boring work.

On the ride back to the base Eto and Tatara had been staring at him, he hoped it was just for the –seemingly- bizarre coincidence - they'd left Noro at the base, he wasn't the negotiating type anyway-.

The woman's eyes had looked as empty as they always did at the end of their fights though there was a smug tilt to her smirk.

He'd wanted to rip Tadeshima to shreds for touching his prey.

Because he would eat her one of those days.

It didn't help that he'd felt something else when he'd recognized that it was her in the ridiculous whore outfit.

Yes it was normal, same as what had happened with nutcracker the first few times they'd met -as long as she'd kept her mouth shut though-, he was attracted to strength, he'd known that for a while, and the woman was strong enough to stand up to him –probably as strong as him when she wasn't living her damned death wish-.

So it shouldn't have bothered him at all –she was prey, once consumed he'd forget about everything else but the velvety texture of her flesh- but this time he'd really felt a sort of animalistic desire to just-

Stopping his mind on its tracks, he breathed in deep.

It was better not to think about those things with Eto close by unless he wanted to be a character in her damned books once again, this time for trying to suppress untoward sexual desires for a woman that he still mostly wished to eat.

Hinami turned to give him a sidelong, knowing glance.

Damned, perceptive woman.

.

.

He was there just to make sure that the woman wasn't actually planning some sort of covert operation to snuff him out.

It would have been easier –and more logical- to just kill her, but he was being stubborn and had found that his small niche was a very comfortable place –or at least, he had slept in worse-.

She knew his name, how his kagune worked and his face.

Yet after cracking his way into the CCG's databases –with admittedly some help from one of the underlings that had once studied informatics engineering- he'd found his file unaltered.

So it was either she was plotting to fuck him up royally herself or for some random and irrational reason, didn't want to kill him.

As the second one made no sense, he stuck with the hypotheses that she was slowly trying to track Aogiri through him.

Though how that connected to stalking her on a Sunday at the crack of dawn while she smoked and sketched –which as far as he had seen, seemed to be a tradition for her-, Ayato wasn't sure he knew. Hell, it wasn't like he had that much time to keep an eye on her, Aogiri was expanding and he was neck deep in work.

It took a while –the sun was almost completely out- for him to realize that she was looking at him.

Ayato didn't move.

So it seemed that it was becoming a tradition for him to fall asleep in that little hole between the two old buildings, his eyelids felt heavy already from a long night hunting two dissidents, the smell of blood enveloped his clothes even if it was already dry from both heat and time.

They'd known too much. And Aogiri didn't forgive.

The last he saw before succumbing to unconsciousness was the woman getting up, leaving a single sheet of paper on the floor of the fire escape.

.

.

Truthfully he was curious –and had probably given himself heatstroke from sleeping in places that were pretty much architectural misunderstandings-.

The paper sheet was weighed down with a micro tip pen and the sentence was longer, and in place of him and his rabbit mask, there was a drawing of his back and activated Kagune

Can ghouls smoke?

So it read, he figured that she must have not been able to come up with a more decent conversation starter –if conversation was even what she wanted- though with their story and the bluntness that she had displayed on the times he'd been able to observe her, it wouldn't have been weird at all if she just wrote 'Why didn't you kill me?' or 'Come fight' or something of the sort.

He'd woken up in his little hideaway at about an hour past noon and observed for a while though, from both the smell and the closed window, it looked like she wasn't home.

Apparently, she had foreseen that he'd answer, or really hoped so by leaving him something to write with, guessing quite right that Ayato had little to no reason to carry around something to write with.

It wasn't like it hurt him to write something back, even if it was irrational and juvenile outside of the fact that one of them would end up killing the other at some point –and it would probably be him that did the killing if she didn't forget that stupid death wish she had running- and if they didn't one of their associates would do the killing.

His hand grasped the pen and he scrawled a single word into the paper.

Yes.

.

.

Her next question was if he smoked.

The drawing was of a warehouse, very similar to the ones he'd almost killed her in.

It was Wednesday and she was probably at the academy. Ayato had just finished a mission.

Ayato had done so, once or twice, way back when he'd just separated from his stupid Aneki.

He didn't feel like telling the woman that, so he just wrote 'no' in messy letters.

.

.

The third question, he found on Saturday night when she –again-wasn't home.

He checked the place when he had time, which was not something all that usual. The merger and Aogiri's ever expanding roots kept him busy, even to the point where they took away his sleeping hours when he had to clean up or dispose of some idiot underling, he hadn't given up eating investigators either –and there were the random walks past his idiot aneki's place at rush hour to make sure she'd be there and not see him, that he refused to acknowledge as actually checking up on her-.

Can you drink? Alcohol I mean

She had drawn his face with activated kakugan.

It was childish, yes, and Ayato felt like he was making a fool of himself for answering like they were actual acquaintances and nor quasi-enemies, until now however, she'd limited to accepting his one worded answers and staring at where she knew he hid between the buildings.

The woman had some instincts.

As he was about to write a reply –and yes, they could drink but only alcohol-the quiet sound of footsteps caught his attention.

A person was climbing the fire escape.

Before he even had the time to look down –though he already knew that it had to be her, no one else in the building seemed to register the existence of the fire escape- another thing became apparent to his senses.

The pungent, acrid smell of Ghoul blood floating in the air.

All happened in a matter of half a minute, she was climbing quickly with heavy steps that spoke of carrying her quinque and it was just a third floor. Ayato cursed his luck when a mess of black waves became visible above the last step that led to the landing where he stood.

His kakugan activated instantaneously.

To her credit, aside from the light jolt that had run though her body the moment her eyes had met his, she was rather tranquil finding a man-eating creature standing outside of her house. Maybe she was just foolish, Ayato thought; this was after all the person who'd all but asked him to kill her on several occasions.

Anyway, if anything, she stood to lose and a morbid sense of curiosity had come over him that told him to stay and look her in the eye, get it all over with. Let her come to him as she wants, like her personal reaper. See if she wanted to die so then.

Everything about her appearance screamed how she'd just been in a battle –and she'd won- the blood drenched clothes, the slight smell of sweat mixed with ghoul blood –and not a hint of human blood- there was a blank expression on her face below the dark circles that apparently lined her eyes most of the time. A silver suitcase hung heavily from her hand, it too, stained with blood.

Exhaustion was evident in her stance.

Bright red met steel grey.

"Black rabbit" She was the first to speak, coming out from the trance that seemed to have crept onto them.

The dim light of the streetlamps probably didn't give her much to go by, as a ghoul he had the advantage though that didn't seem as if it mattered, his sharp gaze found no suspicious movements on her, even when she swiftly ripped one of her earbuds out with a quick movement of her hand.

"Investigator"

She laughed, she always laughed when she shouldn't "Not quite" the woman took another two steps up, Ayato tensed, his kagune already protruding slightly below the cape.

She stopped, a curious gaze filling her eyes. Her voice was heavy with the nearness of sleep but amused all the same. "You going to attack?"

Ayato growled, she smirked and took an experimental step up. "I could have you skewered in a second"

"Skip the wordplay then"

"You little-" he was interrupted by her ascending the remaining stares, now that he saw her well it only confirmed his suspicions, she'd won easily, though there'd probably been many opponents given how tired she seemed.

When he thought she'd either take her quinque out or try to throw a knife at him, he heard the heavy sound of the suitcase –evidently still full hitting the ground- as well as her investigator cloak which made a metallic sound that spoke of how many weapons she seemed to carry –the tip of a somewhat long knife peeked out of one of the folds.

"What's your answer then?" She had walked over to the edge, staring out at the Tokyo night while gripping the railing.

Ayato would never admit that all that escaped him then was a surprised sound. She'd stripped herself of all weapons –and he was pretty sure that anything she was keeping in her thin tank top and somewhat tight pans would not be able to do much against him anyway- and started talking at him like they were some sort of friends.

True, he'd been –however sparsely-responding to her messages. It still made little sense and made him wonder if she recognized danger at all or she really, truly wanted to die that much.

Composing himself quickly, he answered "Yes, we can drink"

"Oh," She'd lit up a cigarette when "I've never seen one drunk."

Ayato turned to stare in the same direction that she was, this was fucking messed up, and he had no business conversing with a dove of all people. Regardless of that though, a nagging voice in the back of his head told him that he might well already, she was a foolish woman who would leave herself vulnerable like this and not even report him.

Also, to be sincere, she was interesting for a dove "Vulnerability can mean death" He cocked his head at her "I take it that you haven't seen one smoke either"

"Oh, that makes sense" She was very obviously surprised by him answering, her head whipped around quickly, but Ayato shifted to stare off into the urban landscape before their eyes made contact. "Yeah, but that one was more believable," She said with humor in her voice

Well it did, at least it didn't involve swallowing anything and he guessed that smoke tasted the same to everyone " Yeah"

"Want one?" It is his turn to be surprised now. The woman is leaning slightly towards him, hand stretched with the palm held upwards and the box resting on it along with a lighter.

He raised an eyebrow at her, she smiled "I don't think you have never smoked"

He doubted that the CCG had learned to lace cigarettes, they didn't even seem to know that some Ghouls smoked.

Wordlessly, he picked the box and the lighter from her hand; the woman's amused eyes were dark in the dim amber tinted illumination.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught her smiling slightly. Ayato conjured the old memories, time had passed, but it was the kind of thing that you didn't forget easily because choking was a very uncomfortable thing.

His lungs sucked the warm smoke in as the tip caught fire properly and became a gleaming ember.

Eyes closed, he exhaled, not minding the slight pain on his throat. Smoking didn't so much calm you as it made you stop for a bit. The mechanical action and the scent of burning paper and ashes stilled you.

That was why he hadn't done again after the few first times.

He figured he deserved a break after running around doing Eto's killings for her for nearly a week.

It wasn't like he was going to start, not by a long shot.

The woman –who had been watching him up until the moment he'd closed her eyes-, now was staring at nothing in particular, eyes lost in the smoke that she watched as if it was a beautiful thing.

"You're amusing," She said, some time later, but before his own cigarette had run out

He glared at her, what did she know? "You're brave for someone so suicidal" His eyes fixed on her second cigarette "Or do you hope to wind me up?"

"Eh it's more, disregard than bravery" She looked thoughtful for a moment "We'd be fighting, if we were going to. But you're as tired at me. I figure that's your first smoke in a while too, must be pretty stressed to have accepted it" Well, she'd hit the nail on the head. It was true that he was tired and to an extent he hadn't wanted to eat her today when he was satiated from a pretty filling meal earlier on the day –sending Rank two investigators to the fourth wouldn't do, hell the student beside him had put up a better fight-. "Also, if I die amused, I guess I don't mind though I'd rather die fighting."

"I'll kill you when I defeat you" His mouth surprised him by moving on its own, the words were somewhat true, at least.

She burst out laughing at his serious tone and slightly confused expression. Ayato's frown deepened, she was making a mockery of him "Sorry, sorry it's just that all of this is so messed up."

It was a clear laugh with ironical undertones; her chest shook with it, as did her small stomach. He threw his cigarette over the rail and watched it land on the floor below them "What would you have expected?"

"Nothing, not really "she responded, now more clam "I guess this would have been the only outcome. It still is odd, but it's not like either you or I allow for normal"

A ghoul and some sort of ascended dove in training, yeah it was about right. They weren't juxtaposed enough to clash completely, but by far this was a foolish thing to do for either "Ha, even for a dove you are strange"

He should leave.

Mercurial eyes rise to him through the cloud of smoke that seeps out of her mouth "What is?"

"You're more a hired assassin than a dove" somehow, he couldn't avert his eyes "And you have a death wish when there's clearly nothing wrong"

A dangerous look crossed her tired eyes, though it was gone as soon as it had appeared "I guess, I'm quite unmotivated to be one" She lifted her free hand to toy with a chain at her neck, it was plain silver with links that looked a little bit too big. For once Ayato noticed the blue tint to her fingertips "And I am living quite well, aren't I? What would someone like me know of suffering?"

Somehow he knew he'd fucked up –though what that consisted on in their situation, he had no idea, Ayato had nearly killed her twice already after all- "Humans can't see past their own suffering, they're pitiful"

"Aren't ghouls the same?"

"Being hunted massively in a world that's made and dominated by others doesn't come free" He grit his teeth, the power a ghoul needed to keep itself alive was several times larger than the power of a single human that had awfully high ambitions.

And most of the ones who had it didn't want to stop there –he didn't want to stop, ever-.

"But then you do eat them" Her voice was gentle "Both sides should just accept that it's the natural course of things, you predate on us, we are your only nourishment and we wouldn't be human if we didn't fight back"

"So you'd want war," He said in a level tone "It fits you"

She let out a dry cackle "Not so much want it, just know it's unavoidable"

"Your science has created flesh" Another surprise coming from his mouth-he'd heard of the fact once in passing-, though his next words found themselves making more sense as their eyes met and he could tell that she though the same "And your instinct, like ours, has created resentment and war"

"At this point, even if we fed you the hate would go on"

"And we won't just lie down and die"

"No, you're too much like us"

That almost made him laugh "Like them" he cleared his throat "You seem pretty happy dying."

Her plump lips pressed together tightly "I… am tired of all this, I guess" She talked like an old woman, he realized, it was slightly disturbing, considering everything. "There is no reason for me to be here"

A surge of curiosity took over him "Why not just end it then"

Her eyes drifted back to him, she adjusted her boy on the railing "Because I have no reason to do that either"

"That's stupid"

"It's lazy I guess" She threw the butt of the cigarette over the railing and proceeded to reach for her quinque and coat, Ayato, fast like any ghoul had her arms pinned in a second. She looked up, no force tensing her muscles, no intention of fighting "I'll die fighting you Black rabbit, but not today"

She said it with such sincerity, it was a simple expression, tired and heavy but honest, her hands found a way to twist until they wrapped over his forearms.

The sudden contact of cold fingers startled him.

Ayato slowly let go. "Stupid humans…"

"We are, aren't we?" The gesture of her hand made him think that she was including him in that group. "I'm going in Aya-Rabbit I need a bath"

He grunted her slip of tongue had not gone unnoticed.

She opened the small lock on the long window and stepped inside, as the woman bent her body to enter he saw the large tear on the flank of her shirt.

The skin it showed was not much, but still enough to make him remember that his stupid hormones also seemed to want to have a say in when and how he'd kill her.

Ayato made off for headquarters long after he heard the shower start running.


	6. Distant

Distant

Akira Mado was an interesting superior.

Apparently Reina's 'unmanageable attitude' had any other superior officers refusing to work with her –or so it said on the e-mail, she'd been late to the meeting.

Fujiwara had jumped ship, it wasn't quite that surprising.

Even for a bootlicker like her the constant near misses with death and being responsible for someone who clearly didn't care for her own safety had probably crossed a line.

Good riddance.

The woman greeted her professionally if with a hint of amusement, beside her a man with white hair and black roots -it was a hell of a dye job, she had to admit-. There was something about the man however that did not quite fit, maybe all that had happened had made her paranoid but her instincts screamed wrong when she looked at him in his impossibly tidy CCG suit, holding one of Sen Takatsuki's books.

Mado would not have felt unlike the other boring superiors if Reina hadn't managed to wheedle out of a very flustered Rank 2 that it was her that had decided to take Rei –under quite weird circumstances but still- when she already commanded or at least watched over a newly formed squad of investigators with built in quinque.

On second thought maybe it was due to that.

After all, seven people had passed the aptitude test.

The day after the results came out, someone in the upper ranks declared one of them unfit, but at least where it came to biology and capabilities, that person was as apt as any of the ones that had undergone the operation.

The upper rank officer did not budge and the person was removed from the list.

So, yes she found Mado Akira to be a somewhat interesting superior.

"Akagi-san, one more thing"

Their conversation had been short and to the point, the first of the missions Rei would be taking while following her orders was a raid on a building suspected to be one of Aogiri's hideouts. It was also scheduled for the next day. "Huh?"

"I am not Fujiwara, you will obey my orders"

Rei laughed, head thrown back as she turned around and left without a word.

Apparently, she was like all the others after all.

.

.

It turned bloody and violent far too quickly.

Even her battle honed senses were still rushing to catch up.

That didn't mean that Rei wasn't swinging her quinque around, sinking it into the flesh of every non-human being that was unlucky enough to cross her path- well the ones Mado didn't take for herself-

The building was in the middle of the ninth ward.

It brought back memories.

She'd spent a long time there before, the ward, not the building. It wasn't a peaceful place, ripe with gangs as it was, both conformed by ghouls and humans. Even Aogiri had only part of the power there. It was a place that the CCG had been trying to recover for ages but the resistance was too well woven and tight and sometimes there were even alliances between ghouls and humans, where the CCG wound up getting their hands on a bunch of human thugs that did not concern them and the police ended up bursting into the base of some ghoul gang that turned them into dinner before they even had the time to inform on their situation.

It was curious, how they watched each other's backs. Although it wasn't unexpected, the people of those gangs did not quite care for the humans that got consumed as long as it wasn't them after all.

Yeah, it brought back quite the memories.

Red blooming on white and screaming, lots of screaming.

She was thankful however for the fact that she had seen no familiar faces on the way there in the dingy rented car that they'd used so as to not alert the ghouls.

Or maybe the streets had changed the faces she'd known, twisted them into unrecognizable masks.

Whichever it was, she was glad, no need to have that dragged to the surface.

Mado was fighting a few paces ahead of her, skillfully handling one of the largest rinkaku that she had ever seen, it was serpentine and fast.

The person in charge of the operation was named Ookuro Io; he was an associate special class that wielded an Ukaku, and was one of the heads of the CCG branch in the ninth –though said branch needed all the help they could get with the sheer number of threats to them. She seemed to remember the man from somewhere, though from where, Reina had no idea. He had an air that she despised though, even for someone as passive as her when it came to people that got on her nerves that man made her want to tear his intestines out more than most ghouls.

She almost had, the first time she heard his voice –the way he looked at her like she was a slab of meat didn't help- , but it was not possible that he was one of those people.

They had after all been all but banished from the CCG

As it was, the superior officer was somewhere behind her. His Ukaku made this really annoying, swishing sound when it was whipped around so she could tell.

All of the precautions that they'd taken had been fruitless, once they had arrived it was clear that Aogiri was waiting for them with three or four times the men that they'd expected coming in through an underground tunnel.

Reinforcements were coming though.

They just had to hold on for some more.

.

.

Ten minutes later, covered in blood, she was crashed into another room of ongoing mayhem.

The ghoul she'd been fighting was on top of her before she managed to stand up.

Figuring that trying to use her quinque was useless, a nifty knife that had been strapped to her belt became that one's demise.

Shrugging off the corpse, Reina stood up.

It was then that she saw it. Elegant attacks, fast as light, shards of Kagune barreling the two investigators that he was battling. Black Rabbit wasted no movement, each was a continuation of the former, and each was intended to attack, kill and leave no openings for the Quinque attacking him.

She hadn't even known he was in the building.

Another person would have had a moral dilemma, Reina jumped right in.

After all, one decent conversation wasn't much and she was on duty now.

It was a shame though, he wasn't insufferable –and he was quite handsome, she had to admit-.

He too saw her, a barrage of shards was shot at the two other investigators and then that body of hard, sinewy muscle was darting towards her. The image of the grin he must've had was in Reina's head –bloodthirsty, a bit maniacal and delighted-.

They clashed, it was all too familiar now though they'd fought only twice, she found that she had learned how she moved and he too seemed to read even her most outrageous combinations.

A particularly rough swing of Koujirou had him stumbling back to where he'd been at first, where one of the fallen investigators was getting back up. He was injured enough though that Reina knew he would not leave to see a hospital, she would have pushed him out of the way if she'd been close or had the will.

The man charged at Black Rabbit, limping and bleeding all over the floor.

It didn't even take the ghoul a look to shoot one last barrage of kagune shards and it was over.

Through the eye-holes of the other's mask, Reina could see his blazing kakugan fixated on her.

This was why she fought, she felt alive then more than ever. "Black Rabbit"

"Woman"

"Shall we continue our fight?" She knew she was being cheesy, but whatever, each time could be the last.

He seemed to hesitate "If you're ready to die?"

Her laughter was probably frightening then, they both knew how it'd end up, and even if the situation wasn't ideal there was too much adrenaline coursing through their bloodstreams for it to matter "If you can kill me this time." Only the two of them knew what she meant by that.

Black Rabbit jolted, she would have liked to see the face he made then.

And she guessed that there could not have been a better stage,-well they could have been alone but she was thinking about the place- her blood would be spilled where she'd first spilled blood, and she would die where she had done so the first time.

Come death, my salvation; wash away my sins, spill my blood on this rotten land.

She breathed in deep and raised a hand to the back of her neck to finger at the ring that rested there day and night and that she never took off, not even to bathe.

"Stupid woman," he said gravely as if he had not known.

Those fights where when she felt the most alive, when she knew she was closest to death, when she knew that the guillotine hung over her neck and she was actually living the moment where her decisions made immediate changes that would be relevant and definitive. It was a change from the stupor, the numbness.

Their weapons met again and again, they dashed and dodged and hit. Ayato avoided her knives and she blocked his shards. Those hands threatened to grab her by the neck, again… again.

It was bliss.

And then it wasn't. A shadow loomed and a tall, burly man walked through the room's door with an Ukaku quinque in his hands.

His booming voice hurt Reina's ears.

His eyes were fixated on her.

"What is a student doing back here?" he frowned "Stupid children should be kept out of the frontline" the man looked at Black rabbit next, his eyes widened "Retreat"

Reina frowned "No"

"This is an order" there wasn't bloodlust in his eyes, there was greed "An SS-rated ghoul is just what I need for my promotion" Ookuro muttered to himself.

Reina laughed "Do I look like I care?"

A vein popped in his forehead, she was sure that the man would have walked over to her and dragged her out of the room himself if there hadn't been a ghoul in front of them "Listen to me, you little shit, just because you have a famous family name doesn't mean you outrank me. Leave"

"No, this one's mine"

"Hah, as if!" he smirked "Aren't you the runt that lived here among them like a street rat for two years?" Her eyes widened "I bet you were just setting up to let him go. " Rage started building up within her "After all, I remember being in the platoon that dragged you out of that mess, only we wouldn't have if not for Akagi-san"

Ice cold rage that she knew full well the source of "You know nothing bastard, I will not retreat"

"I know how we found you and believe me we had been watching from the beginning. But it seems you never learnt the lesson someone so far above you was trying to teach you, I won't be as soft though" that look that she despised to came back then, the pervert had creeped her out from the beginning and- then his words registered on her brain- " You might think you're a lot kid, but you're nothing, hear me?"

The cogs in her mind came to a halt in that instant.

The smell of ashes, the fire outside and the cold body beneath her. Grasping a stolen quinque knife hoping to somehow protect him because he could not stand.

There was too much blood, so much, but she knew that he could still be saved because most of it was hers, he'd taken a huge blow to the head.

They should have known the ghouls would turn on them.

Or rather, that it was a sort of trap

The place was supposed to be the CCG's, they were supposed to be cooperating with the ghouls, however, unethical, the ninth was a place where everybody wanted to keep the doves out, and for their cooperation they remained safe –not that they couldn't fight, but they didn't get hunted, what happened to other people was not of their concerns-.

By the time that she crumpled to the floor, almost unconscious from blood loss there were still two Ghouls "Ahh, shame she's going to faint, spies should suffer more" the words reached her ears, faint and muddled. Spy?

The other had just laughed.

They'd both dashed for her, what hurt the most was not being able to save him, maybe there was some chance if they forgot him, at that moment he had more chances of living at least based on their injuries.

Her body stopped responding.

It was the end.

Bright lights blazed from the door. "-CCG-Surrender-"

Only parts of the sounds would reach her.

She smiled, when she'd fallen, her head had wound up facing him.

'He'll live' she'd thought.

Blood splattered in front of her, a man in uniform picked her up gently

'No' she wanted to say 'him, I am dying' but he lacked the strength and they were talking amongst themselves, though the haze she tried to make out their words.

"Princess… hahaha- more… whore"

"Akagi… Orders-" another laugh.

"Good- look at- though…"

"Keep… Yourself- pervert"

"…This one?" a more sober voice "Accomplice… be arrested?"

"…Wants 'im dead… a lesson" She tried to squirm then, but her body was in shock, she couldn't move "See… a whore"

"…Should we..."

"Our backs… watched… for the boss"

"Ugh… sick"

"I'll… it" it was the voice of the man who held her.

More laughter "Sure… yourself out"

"All fer- woman huh?- A princess" those bastards, laughing, cackling

Inside she was screaming, if anything, he was a witness, he-

BANG! BANG!

Though her eyes were heavy and she didn't understand well what had happened. Reina knew then when she felt the recoil of the gun that he had just shot.

"all fer ya huh? Princess" hot breath had hit her face.

She knew she had nothing left to live for.

.

.

If the reinforcements had arrived a second later, she would have ripped the man open.

Should have never forgotten her instincts, he had disgusted her from the start and now she knew that he was one of them.

But the ten or so men that barged into the room would have stopped her.

Black rabbit darted away, sneaking away through a boarded up window, the CCG had outdone themselves with the backup.

Reina walked right out, through the men and back, looking for a ghoul, any ghoul.

Three crossed her path as she walked towards the outside, the three met the bloodiest end she could dish out.

Reina was not an idiot, she retreated, but that didn't mean she forgot.

Not by a long shot.

.

.

Yamamoto Shu had been but a kid like her when they'd met.

Both rebellious, fourteen-year-olds.

She'd sneaked out of her mother's house and caught the train if only to be free for a few hours before her mother asked for her.

Reina had been walking around aimlessly and ended up in the ninth for some reason, raised to be an investigator, she hadn't thought there was much that could harm her.

But the field proved to be something else altogether, especially when it was humans that cornered her.

She was getting ready to fight until the unavoidable end -she only had a knife and they had pipes a gun and long blades-, they'd threatened to kill her if she did not obey, but Rei would not have let them put their dirty paws on her.

Then he'd come, freakishly tall for his age, enough that his shadow had been like a twenty-year-old's.

"What are you doing to my woman?" And they'd drawn back and cowered, his authoritarian voice held no shake in it.

"Shu-sama" Shouldering past them, he'd practically dragged her out and to some random building.

He asked her who she was, where she came from.

For some reason, she told him the truth. "You're an idiot" She'd raised an eyebrow at him "A spoiled idiot"

Then he'd laughed "Come back though, they won't touch you if they think you're mine" he'd grabbed her face, pulled her close.

Shu was handsome, with bright blonde hair, thin though lean muscles and tall like a reed.

Her voice had been rough when she said "As if I believe for a moment that you're letting me roam out of selflessness" Their breaths had mingled in the cold air.

"I think I have what I wanted already."

And they kissed.

She proceeded to come back and back and back.

One day, she just stayed, for her own reasons, her own demons.

Rei was a wanderer at heart anyway and that life suited her better, being the fighter that she was, Shu had even gotten her some quinque steel for protection.

Two years she'd lived there.

Then she'd died.

Caught in a trap, seemingly betrayed.

So had he.

.

.

Two days later the night was warm and windy, she'd tracked down an old acquaintance, a NEET with pretty much no morals and empty pockets.

He had some skill with computers though and that was all that she needed.

The roll of bills that she handed him was her ticket to hell itself.

His report was most disheartening though, of the five men only Ookuro remained alive, the rest had not been destitute and condemned as she'd been made to believe –for killing a potential witness who was still a human being- but transferred into other branches and covered up.

They'd all been sent on ridiculously hard missions though, and they'd died, one by one with their secrets.

She'd known from the beginning, but suddenly she wanted more details.

Reina also read the report on the mission that each had written.

How rotten Ookuro's luck that the one who'd pulled the trigger on the unconscious Shu was the only one who remained alive.

Reina left the hacker's house with emptier pockets and the info on his next mission in her hands.

.

.

It was only hard to feign innocence at the academy.

The rest was easy as pie, she had three days to hunt down the S-rated ghoul –she died with disappointing ease- she failed to report her death and kept the mask.

On the day of Ookuro's mission, she waited patiently until his underlings passed and showed herself to him.

He recognized the mask immediately, when she ran, he followed her and he only realized that something was wrong when the building's door closed behind them. "Ookuro-san"

"Even pieces of trash like you know my name now huh?

"You could say that" she pulled the mask aside "you make an impression"

"Akagi" He seemed confused for a second "What are you doing here"

"I want to talk to you of course" She let the black cape fall to the floor, to reveal Koujirou held tightly in her hands.

"A crazy bitch is all you've always been" He was sweating, a hand came back quickly and drew his quinque "I bet I could get away with it now" he licked his lips "Akagi-san has all but given up on you, ingrate child"

"It was her, wasn't it?"

He burst out laughing" Are you really stupid enough not to know by now?"

"No" She grit her teeth, Reina was empty, completely empty, only the desire to kill him remained strong within her now.

"Should've known better than going with that good fer nothing street rat" It looked like he couldn't stop laughing "But ah, I guess this plays in my favor, unless you want this discovered you're going to do all I tell you to"

Bile rose up her throat "Who says you are getting out of here alive?" She said coldly.

"I'm alive aren't I? She sent us to missions where she knew we would die, but I'm alive little princess. I'm sure you've covered your tracks very well but that's all the better for me, I'll make sure to teach you a lesson this time."

"I'd rather die," She said sincerely and charged towards him, crashing her quinque with his. Pieces of the Ukaku flew in all directions, but it managed to hold. "But rather than that I will kill you, my life is someone else's"

"Stupid whore" He pushed her back and brought the Ukaku down with his left hand -as it was light the way her quinque wasn't, probably expecting her to try and jump out of the way, not pull the damned quinque back up and throw it clumsily at his own to deflect it, then take a step closer until they were a breath away.

"You're slow" A mechanic, lifeless voice. There was a knife protruding from his ribcage, a little to the left of his sternum, above the third rib buried to the hilt. "I should have made it more painful"

She didn't seem to register the tears running down her face, or the way that blood sprayed her when she retracted the knife from his aorta and his heart tried to beat anything to the rest of his body through a channel that was no longer there.

Reina picked up her things and left, the mask and the cape were burned as soon as she found an isolated enough place.

The emotions coursing through her body were conflicting and terrifying. She didn't fear being discovered, she knew she wouldn't be but now that he was done for –and no matter what, she could not take full revenge for she could not kill that woman no matter how much she wanted to- she didn't know what she was. On one hand, the emptiness that she felt deep inside had maximized and turned thick, clogging her lungs and swallowing her whole. But, on the other hand, she somehow felt alive, the battle had not been stimulating, he'd underestimated her strength and she'd made quick work of his heart, but the rush had son receded, the life coursing through her veins reminded her though that she'd left a message at home.

Too alive, too much, it was time she guessed and even though she wasn't in death wish mode at the moment, death came to all humans and she'd already found a beautiful one for herself.

What was the point in running from it?

Then she went home, with only one thing on her mind.


	7. Maddening

**Maddening**

"Ayato-kun, come spar with Hina" the older ghoul sat on the edge of the armchair, somehow managing to look bored with her face completely covered by the signature bandages that the leader of Aogiri always sported.

With her girlish build –slighter than even Hinami now that the young woman had filled out- she looked as out of place in the sparring room –which had old faded bloodstains and moderately sized craters all over- as the floral printed couches.

Ayato was resting on one of those, barely aware of what was happening while Hinami sparred with some of the random new underlings. Groaning, he sat up "Tch, you two won't so much as give me a break huh?"

"I haven't seen you two spar in so long," something glistened between the bandages at the woman's eyes "Once wouldn't hurt you, right, Ayato?"

Hinami's soft voice intervened "Ayato-kun, seems so tir-"

"'S fine" he stood up abruptly "I'll do it"

The brown haired ghoul just nodded and fell back into her stance.

.

.

As soon as he managed to convincingly end the thing in a draw, he made for his room. The corridors of the base's residential area embraced him with their silence, and for a moment he was grateful, even if sleep deprived and deeply annoyed.

God that Old Russian ghoul had talked the night away –and he'd had actual missions the previous nights that hadn't afforded for much sleep.

Truthfully, he wanted Hinami to advance fast and become a lieutenant quickly. Ayato could definitely use some lightening on the work load.

Only not really.

He just wanted the politics off his back, the rest –nights spent watching a certain dove hatchling included- he could handle.

Having to deal with treaties and alliances and shit was bothersome in itself when he was part of the party leading the meeting, and recently he'd been assigned to be the leader of the goddamned things.

His back met the firm mattress as soon as he managed to take the sweaty shirt off and for once he allowed himself to sigh.

It did make sense that it was him though, Jason and the brothers laid dead, and Eto wanted Tatars always at her side since Arima had been weirdly ever present in the city for a few months, Hinami was too green and Noro… was Noro.

When he'd tried to get out of it, Eto had just smiled and told him to charm his way into making the job less boring.

Ha fuckin ha.

The random shapes that the unevenly painted ceiling made, called to him, almost moving, almost swirling. A distant rasp was present, though, almost rhythmic in its execution though Ayato's muddled mind didn't quite register it until a feminine voice drifted in as well.

Groggily, he made his way toward the door to find Hinami holding a mug of coffee.

Noticing his bare chest, she flushed "S-Sorry I woke you up." He glared at her "I brought coffee." The hopeful expression in her face annoyed him. Ayato reached for the cup –Hinami's coffee was heavenly if anything, and it wasn't like caffeine had much of an effect on ghouls.-"… Thanks"

The brunette turned around and made to leave "It's just I…" she tilted her head back "there's a library I like in ward 3, I've smelt you close by lately and-"

"It's business" Unease started creeping up Ayato's back, had it really been some coincidence, or was this Hinami's way of telling him that his forages into the territory where Reina lived weren't going unnoticed?

She just raised an eyebrow. Wards 1 through 4 were nigh devoid of ghouls and under heavy surveillance, one could barely ever get away with a prey from there, much less business.

"My own business"

"You've been there pretty often" Hinami turned around, almost pouting.

"Have you been tailing me?"

"T-the library's return policy is strict, I come by fairly often"

"It's none of your business-"

"I'm just worried, you look so tired lately-"

He shot her an annoyed look "Our boss is quite the slave driver y'know?"

"I haven't told anyone" she almost seemed abated.

"Whatever kid" he sipped at the mug. "I'm not doing anything out of the norm"

_Except stalking a dove for some reason I all but want to think about._

Resignation shone through her features and the young woman sighed "Just be careful Ayato-kun, I don't want to lose anyone else" She turned around and left for her room, her words had been somewhat harsh and Ayato heard the door slamming angrily a few seconds later.

The situation was getting dangerous, though he trusted Hinami not to try and uncover more.

It had been about a week since he'd last heard of Reina.

At the moment he didn't quite want to, but in a way this felt like a signal that time had come to culminate their battle.

Draining the last of his coffee, he rose from the bed, a sense of foreboding growing by the minute inside of his head.

.

.

_It's time_

The scrawl was elegant, though obviously hurried, if not for the way the letters inclined almost to the point of being illegible for the fact that there was no drawing this time and the sheet looked like it had been hurriedly ripped off the corner of a school notebook. It even had half of the CCG logo at the top.

At least they were on the same page, he figured, though she didn't seem to be home.

And then he heard heavy footsteps in the apartment. She never came in through the floor entrance.

Ayato stilled.

The intruder reeked of human blood, sweet and fresh, whoever they had killed was probably still warm

An irrational flood of rage filled him, whoever was inside wasn't carrying a Quinque, he was sure because their footsteps were all too light.

The stranger opened the door to her room, had they killed her? And most importantly, ghoul or human? Through the haze of the blood he couldn't tell, though he'd eaten just the day before at Hinami's insistence and threats of suggesting to Eto that she take him hunting with her –and Ayato had found himself getting odd thinking patterns from cannibalism once already, since then he'd started to avoid it lest he had no other choice, even if he'd felt a Kakuja coming close to completion within him-.

A pale hand shoved the window open and his kagune shot out, despite the fact that in the third it was just plain foolish to let himself be seen with it out.

It was a few hours before dawn, thankfully, because he hadn't bothered to put on his mask, it'd have just been more conspicuous anyway.

Enraged, he was prepared to impale them as soon as their head was through the window.

And then, clumsily, radiating exhaustion, she came through and his Kagune disintegrated into thin air.

Reina wore a red tank top that reeked of human blood, standard issue pants and a chain that he'd never seen before circled her neck, her Quinque was nowhere to be seen, and all she seemed to have were two knives strapped to her thigh.

She turned to look at him with awfully empty eyes.

"…good" she drawled "I won't have to wait for you to show up"

The dark- haired woman brought herself to stand at the railing and, the same way she'd done so many times before, she pulled out a cigarette.

"Just give me a minute, you can go ahead when I'm done"

Eyes wide, he just watched her, whatever she'd done this time, whoever she'd killed had finally broken her. He could tell from her gaze, pure boredom and resignation, she was not going to fight him, which was probably why she didn't have her Quinque with her too.

The pallor of her skin reminded him of a corpse's already.

Ayato had gone there to turn her exactly into that.

Yet when the last of the ashes fell into the darkness of the alley and she crushed the cigarette into the railing, he couldn't bring himself to reach out and pull her closer to sink his teeth into the supple sling. Was it the fighting? He didn't know, but this wasn't what he wanted, not who he wanted to eat, it'd never been.

She stared at him, expectant "Waiting for something?" the woman grinned

"Tch, you're crazy" he took two steps in her direction, for once noticing the five inches of height that separated them "Go get your Quinque, woman"

Reina smiled sadly at him and shook her head "You've already won, you know that right?"

"I'm here for an opponent, not a corpse-"

"Then you're off the mark" she cut him off "it's not the wrong ward but at least the wrong apartment. I'm tired, let's get this over with"

Pitiful.

"No" he saw her hand find the knife, its trajectory had been run by the time that he'd slid back into a defensive position. The scent of blood became even stronger, even more alluring as it ran down her chest from the shallow cut she'd made just below her collarbone.

"You want this" And there was a spark of heat in her eyes. "And you can take it"

"And you don't want to die, not really." Her head whipped to the side, balefully looking out at the city, her body shifted until both her elbows and the small of her back rested on the railing.

"I'd believe I've made it clear" Why was he even still making excuses.

He wanted her, he wanted _her._

_And that is no good_

"I can tell what fear looks like"

"I'm not afraid"

"Then fight me"

"No" her hands had pushed her up so she now sat on the creaky metal "You've won, twice, what do you have to prove?"

The situation was beyond ridiculous, he thought as he pressed forward, staring at her, all but pressing her body against hers as it teased danger by hanging over the abyss –because a fall from where they were would probably not kill an investigator, Ayato would knew-.

"The first time you gave up, and I can hardly call the second a win"

Reina pointedly turned her head to the side "That doesn't make it any different, you know, weakness is weakness and the weak get eaten" her tone became soft "Can't you just get it over with…"

A second before she'd shifted to accommodate her behind on the railing, Ayato had been more concentrated on her words than he'd been on her movements – though he was acutely aware of her body, mere inches from his- until with a monumental creak and no previous warning, the thin railing gave way beneath her weight.

Surprise flashed in her eyes, and a second later so did an immense fear, Ayato found himself inexplicably leaning forward, and finding that it was not quite fast enough to catch her, until –involuntarily and inexplicably, he'd tell himself later- his kagune burst from below the black cape and propelled him toward the falling woman.

They ended up dangling from the set of stairs just below her floor, her forearms encased in his hands.

Quickly as it had happened he snapped out of whatever trance it was he'd been in.

Roughly he pulled both of their bodies over the destroyed railing, noting that there were new bruises forming at her shoulders –the recoil must've been a bitch, hmph, served her right-. And the cut that she'd made on her chest earlier had opened some more, making the stream of sweet smelling blood bigger.

Confused blue eyes met terrified silver.

He smirked.

"Scared? Weren't you wanting for death just a second ago?" never mind that the fall wasn't all that likely to kill her, she probably knew that as well, but the feeling of nothing but empty air between her back and the ground had to have chilled her if it made for such a reaction.

Humans truly were too fragile.

"I was just startled"

He wanted to turn around and leave their unfinished businesses for another day and he would have if his traitorous hormones hadn't chosen that moment to break from the cage where he'd managed to shove them all earlier.

Ayato started to notice the rise and fall of her chest and the way that the blood from her cut ran between her breasts until it got lost beneath the shirt.

Reina was in front of him, flushed, unarmed, and bleeding and he could've sworn that none of those things had ever turned him on before.

But they were, then.

And beneath the rapidly fading fear, her eyes were starting to express something that he'd only seen once or twice –the night when he'd followed her bent one, and that one day that they'd ran into each other the next-. Her face changed completely, of almost imperceptibly for anyone who wasn't a ghoul and five inches from her face.

Slightly parted lips, and overblown pupils, the tension around her eyes and mouth had disappeared.

Worse was, he was sure he was sporting a similarly dumb visage.

Reina's mouth moved, and he found himself registering the words a tad late. "But these tell me that you do want to take this." As she said the words a pale hand came to brush his cheekbone softly, teasingly.

It was the first time that she touched him intentionally while they were not fighting.

Yoyo would never know when his kakugan had activated, only that he felt a violent surge of both desire and anger at her obvious attempt of seducing him into  _eating her –_ oh, he'd have the woman alright, but on his own terms, if only to take away the pleasure of manipulating him away from her- did she think him some random, idiotic human?

Despite his inner enraged monologue, on the outside his voice remained level, if a little hoarse "I never said I didn't"

"I guess a corpse really is good enough then huh?" Maybe she caught the innuendo, or maybe she didn't, it could have been honest ignorance or veiled teasing and with a woman like that he wouldn't have known, he would have had no way, though it was a little sad to hear her refer to herself like that, -Ayato shoved those thoughts into the cage as soon as he realized he was having, suddenly deciding that the hormones were preferable- .

If he had been anyone else, he'd have told her that such was the whole point, from the moment he'd met her, she'd only ever been alive when they fought. Otherwise he'd only seen some random glimpses of life in her, but they were gone as soon as the emotion that contained them got suppressed, and he was starting to believe that emotional suppression was something that she excelled at. Her death wish was in a way was in a way already realized, since aside from those particular moments, she truly felt to others like some kind of carcass of a being.

And in that moment, somehow, she seemed very, very alive, even without the violent rush of adrenaline that fights brought –maybe it was the combination of fear, surprise, frustration, and that thing in her eyes that he was starting to suspect could be desire- and when she didn't feel like a carcass, she seemed to have disturbing effects over him.

"You're crazy, woman"

"Yeah, very much" her voice too, had thickened, and the hand that wasn't still brushing along his eye came to rest beneath the wound and slid across the slowly flowing blood. "Come now-"

When he thought about it later, he realized that those two words could have meant either of two things. In the moment however, he surged forward and dipped her head to lick a strip through the blood and up her neck.

Now looming over her, he looked down a at Reina's pliant body, her eyes were hooded, surprise mixing in with desire within them.

Ayato kissed her.

For two, three seconds, she was still, until her hand came up to grip at the back of his head and the kiss –unsurprisingly it was him and Reina that were participating in it- turned feral.

Truthfully, he'd had a few experiences of the type, -there were no rules in Aogiri that prohibited such things after all, and he had both the looks and the power, Ghoul's themselves weren't given to abstinence so…- and Reina was as rough as most of the Ghoul's he'd been with.

There was some competitiveness to the kiss, right up until he shifted her so she was laying flat on her back on the floor of the fire escape.

By that point, he was all but striding her and they both were panting heavily.

And he wanted more, he had for a while, and his sanity and all of the very valid excuses for getting up and leaving –she was a human, a dove and sort of infuriated him- were melting away into a haze that resembled intoxication in ways that Ayato couldn't quite put into words at the moment.

She smelled delicious.

_SweethaveReinamineNow_

He wanted to  _eat her up._

The kisses turned more desperate, Reina's fingers had found their way beneath his shirt and dug trenches that would be healed within seconds in his back as he bit into the skin of her neck, just hard enough to leave constellations of blooming purple in his wake.

A gust of cold wind was what finally managed to startle them, as it rattled what was left of the railing and the sound was enough to make a dazed, Reina got up first, stumbling a little but never breaking eye contact.

He was on his feet quickly too.

And they were still too damned close.

Transfixed, he reached out to run a finger over the bruises in her neck.

The small moan that earned him had him blazing again and when one of Reina's hands hosted up his back and pressed against the spot where his kakuhou was -which she seemed to have found out rather quickly, was a very weak spot for him- only her voice prevented him from shoving her against the wall and having his way with her "I should… clean up… I'm covered in blood… You…"

She flushed.

And swiftly she turned around and dipped through the window, her hand lingering on his shoulder a bit more than necessary.

He waited for the window to close and the lock to click.

Ayato slipped inside.

Before he was even free of the clingy purple curtains he found a warm body pressing into his chaste. "Good" her voice resonated in the dark room "I wasn't sure you'd caught on"

He had to fight down the urge to chuckle "You're not very subtle woman"

Ayato's fingers tugged at the edge of her top, the straps slid off her shoulders, almost on their own, and it wasn't long before the garment was bunched around her waist.

In the dim, amber light that slipped in from the street, he caught glimpse of plenty of scars crossing the skin of her half covered breasts and toned stomach.

She was still attractive beyond belief, and he thought that it was probably the only reason for his doing of something so suicidal, he just needed her out of his system.

And so, as Reina's hands made quick work of his shirt and belt Ayato leaned down to press a heated kiss to her lips, and he just quit thinking for the night.

They didn't make it to the bathroom for another long while.

.

.

Ayato was quick at adapting to things, one had to be when being a Ghoul without significant connections or money, and he had been one for quite a while.

Of course he had had his idiot sister, so it wasn't like he'd been completely alone. Still, there was a reason that he was still alive

So the next day, when he woke up to the smell of coffee and cigarettes in a patch of bluish, early morning sunlight, he wasn't surprised about what had happened the night before –though it was unsettling that he'd fallen asleep, however tired he was after the crazy week he'd had on Eto's orders, and the night's combined activities.

An image of Reina spread out beneath him flashed in Ayato's mind. Quite unexpectedly, that was enough to get him riled up again.

His libido hadn't ever been that hyperactive, not since he was thirteen and-

Yeah

What was she doing to him?

Groaning, he rose from the bed, stretching because even ghouls weren't exempt from sore muscles.

In the daylight, the room was far larger than it had seemed before –though he had been otherwise preoccupied- there wasn't much in the way of decoration aside from a gigantic board with all sorts of drawings pinned on it, done in any paper one could imagine –there were vent napkins in there- and ranging from fully painted and shadowed to rough sketches of houses or buildings. And a collection of knives and daggers, also of different materials and sizes, hung on the other wall.

The floor was littered with books, novels, mostly, he noted, even catching sight of "The Hanged man of McGuffin" somewhere. Amusingly, he also saw something called "A History of Ghoul Countermeasures" shoved into the corner of the room, not fully unwrapped.

The blue haired man went about finding his clothes in the disaster that was the bed, as he'd thought the night before, the sheets were black.

The place also smelt almost overwhelmingly like her, like coffee and dark chocolate, with a tang of blood and smoke.

He had just about no idea where his shoes had gone but aside from those, he managed to find everything.

As he fastened his belt-and in what he'd later think of as an extension of an attack of irrationality- he walked out of the room and into the corridor.

There were four doors.

The one directly in front of him, he knew to be the bathroom, and the two to the left were closed and seemed to be guest bedroom –though from what he'd seen so far, she rarely had visitors and he'd never seen anyone who appeared to have stayed the night –aside from himself that was, for some reason, that though brought a satisfied smile to his face-.

To the right, the corridor opened into what he supposed was a living room, and just before it did there was an open door from where he could smell smoke.

For some reason, he walked towards it.

She was leaning against the counter, wearing a thick bathrobe, with her hair piled up on top of her head, and holding a cigarette between her thin fingers.

Her eyes widened and she genuinely looked surprised when she noticed him.

Quickly, Reina composed herself. "Hey"

"Hi" Well it was very awkward, to say the least, despite being different species that didn't seem to change.

That is, until his eyes fell on the hickeys adorning her neck, then it was awkward for a whole other reason.

Not for the first time since he'd met Reina, he wished that he could just extirpate or transfer all of the inconvenient desires of his body.

What was worse, the damned woman was sharp "'m gonna be wearing a scarf for the next month" she pouted sleepily "'nd it's all your fault"

Reina shifted and the robe slid slightly to the side, Ayato swallowed thickly "You didn't bother with the finger marks" It was out of his mouth before he knew it.

"Well my friends weren't going to interrogate me over those" she smiled "though I guess I can just omit some details"

"Tch, like the Ghoul thing for one?" he snorted "that'd save you plenty of explanation" and a prison term, he thought quietly

"And the whole railing part" she took a drag of the cigarette "Actually I'll just tell them it was amazing sex" Reina purred

Was she-? A –surprisingly sock clad- foot brushed up his shin.

Yes she was.

Eyes suddenly blazing with hunger, Ayato took a step forward.

"Stop, human" she dropped the cigarette in the wet sink, it fizzled as it died "Unless you want more of those"

"You're not going to break me Rabbit" she said, voice low enough to betray her cool façade.

He wanted to snort again, but somehow he was getting breathless "You'd like it if I did" he pulled her chin up, made her unable to look away "I'd guessed you were a masochist Dove"

She smirked "I'd believe it was pretty obvious" she said, mimicking him.

The ever diminishing las rational crevice of his mind was telling him to turn tail as quick as he could, he was exposing himself –or her- to death if they got caught "What we are-"

"We might as well don't you think?" She cut him off, an amused smile playing at her lips, and her hand slid up his shoulder, Rei always had that kind of smile on her face when she was looking for a quick way to forget. "What's done is done, isn't it?" the warmth of her breath on his skin was enough.

He knew this though he had seen little of that side of her-only the previous night, really-, whenever they met it was all her damned death wish, their shared bloodlust and his growing –possessive, though Ayato loathed to admit it- interest for her. And she did have a point, as much as it was odd, it was the one thing that made any actual sense back then. Neither was in the mood for fighting, and talking had just yielded annoyance and bitter memories for both of them. Turning around and leaving was another option but as much as he'd have liked to tell himself that he wanted to, he was quickly growing addicted to the release she provided. It wasn't the woman herself, but rather, the way she was out of convention, she didn't abide by human patterns and he found himself not abiding by Ghoul's usual ones when in her company.

The apartment too had an extemporal feeling, he realized, pieces of furniture of all styles piled together in an inconstant harmony, each obviously picked out individually and independently from the others was its own object and existed by its own rules in a space that wasn't thought out to match any particular feeling.

It felt like letting go, she felt like letting go. Not a Ghoul that he'd have to live with, not a dove that he had to kill, just her, a woman in a long shirt and barely anything below it, a warm inviting body and a pair of eyes that contradicted themselves by being depthless one second and holding an ocean another. Reina was a rarity, one that, he was sure, would fade as soon as they stepped out of this odd interlude.

So she was right, why not? –Or maybe those were his hormones speaking, but Ayato refused to think he'd so easily be victim to something that petty- his throat grew dry, and one of his hands found its way to the back of her hair, tangling firmly into the coal black locks "Reckless human…"

"Aren't I?" He wasn't the kind to do those things, to succumb to pleasures that might leave him vulnerable, whenever he indulged, things always were purely superfluous, pure desire arisen and fanned down quickly with whomever was most convenient. It wasn't like she was a sort of deeper connection, rather, she was an irrational whim, pure desire for both the delectable and the forbidden.

Reina's body pressed into his, all soft skin and hard muscle "Your little games will get you eaten"

"Not today, but someday maybe?" Those devious eyes… She wasn't asking, he hardly wanted to eat her then, but it'd be him, he knew her flesh was his. "We can always fight again"

Ayato's voice was rough, heady "Yeah, maybe"

"At some point" Her swollen bottom lip caught between her teeth, her hands drawing patterns on his chest. "Have at it, all that's left-"

He crashed his lips to hers before she had time to finish the sentence, there was a slight tang of blood to the kiss, like one of the small gashes his teeth had made the night before had reopened at Ayato's roughness.

Reina whimpered as he backed her body into the counter and her bare skin met the cold marble, her slender legs came to wrap around his waist, grinding her core against the tent on his pants.

He found himself completely losing control, he hadn't lusted after her for long, but since he had, the very way she moved had become a catalyst. The night before had been a rushed affair, far too emotional, this time he found that he wanted to destroy the steely hold she had over herself.

And he knew that deep inside that was what she wanted, for something to hold her down, ground her, if only briefly and if she couldn't find something that did that she wanted, she'd find a thing that would destroy her, both things came around to just not thinking anymore, escaping, forever or for just a second.

For most that'd probably be both difficult and daunting, a woman, a person like her that had an intensity to her existence even when only half alive was surely not something they wanted to try holding down. For him, yes, it was exhilarating, the power rush was almost too much, just like in the battlefront, she fought tooth and nail, but there came a point when she reached a high and surrendered to the sweet guilt that was weakness, submission. In that moment she was his, in every literal sense Reina was his to do with as he pleased.

It pleased Ayato to unravel her, to make her writhe and scream and grow desperate, it would please him to devour her.

But not then, not until he'd had his fill of her living sweetness, the tiny prickles of pleasure when his tongue tasted the lukewarm drops of blood that flowed from her shallowly broken skin. So he pulled the shirt up, almost roughly enough for it to tear and let it fall on the floor.

Softly, against her skin, he whispered her name, many, many times.

His pants joined it soon after, her deft hands having undone them with him only barely noticing, tough it wasn't like he was paying attention to that as he stared at her, nearly naked, bathed in the cold, early morning sunlight.

Red, bitten lips, dark marks where he'd bitten too deep or grabbed too roughly, skin like soft, white silk.

His mouth went dry as hers formed the syllables. "A-ya-to"

Yes, too quick, so quick, an addiction.

.

.

They ended up in her bed again, after some indistinguishable amount of time.

Vaguely, he knew that it had to be around noon.

The lukewarm morning had given way to a warm day, the sheets of her bed were fresh, and the covers they had kicked off the night before.

Somehow there was a leaden feeling in his limbs, like they didn't want to move from the comfortable position he was in. By all accounts he should have wanted to leave, been ready to flee with the light feet that he was so well known for, now rested and relaxed, his desires satisfied.

Reina had fallen asleep after the last time, drifted off almost without noticing, in the middle of a whispered sentence that he hadn't quite caught even with his hearing.

The thick, plum colored curtains blocked most of the sun, still he could see her perfectly, curled up on her side, her hair fanned around her, the marks on her skin alien but endearing all the same. Her skin was always a bit colder than the usual human's, her blood slightly sweeter and somehow lighter.

Ayato turned to his side and in the warm air and the fresh sheets and the scent of sex still hanging in the air, drifted off.

.

.

Waking up was a déjà vu, again, dim light –this time the dying, not rising sun- empty, cool sheets and the scent of coffee coming from his right.

He pulled on his pants again, not even bothering with the belt this time.

_What am I doing?_

Despite the doubts, the thoughts swirling around his head, he headed down the hallway again. There was a lonely cup of coffee sitting on the counter of the kitchen, still steaming-hot. He coffee pot was half full, the kitchen looked no different from the morning, even the dishes did not seem to have been moved.

Grabbing the mug and sipping at it-sugarless and strong- he continued his exploration of the place. Had Reina left?

She sat, a figure on a window seat in the living room, wearing another oversized shirt that hung on her bony frame- because, he had noticed, despite the muscles from her dove training, and the generous curves that nature had provided her with, she was almost sickly thin- like it was meant for someone much bigger. There was a coffee cup in her hand and her eyes were lost somewhere in the urban landscape, she was singing softly.

"… _finish this half empty glass before the ice all melts away"_ hooded eyes turned to him as she noticed his presence  _"this feeling always used to pass but it seems like it's every day"_  It was a pretty voice, airy, effortless, empty.

They stared at each other, somewhat awkwardly, though mostly, there was a tired, worn out feeling hanging in the air. Finally she spoke in a low, raspy voice "…Hey"

"You thought I'd stay?" he said, gesturing to the mug.

"I had a feeling" she shrugged "I'd just woken up and anyway, I always make too much coffee"

"Ah…" he sat down in a red, well-worn sofa

"Why did you stay?" the question took him by surprise, it wasn't said as a reproach, rather, it held some genuine curiosity.

"I wouldn't know" it wasn't like he couldn't lie to her but it would do no good, she was perceptive as they came and there really was no good excuse. "I just don't feel like going back yet"

She gave him a look "Like inertia"

"Huh?"

"You stopped, now it's hard to get back moving" she sipped at her coffee "I'm the same, haven't wanted to move since I woke up this morning, I haven't even gone outside"

"Tch, aren't humans suppo- ow" what seemed like a ball of fur had jumped at him, tiny claws out to sink into his chest – that already had her nail marks upon it- the cat hissed and growled as Ayato tried to hold it far enough that it couldn't reach his face.

Reina laughed across the room, a girlish laugh surprisingly. "Mik doesn't like you I see"

"The hell, you have this beast lying around?"

"Eh, he comes and goes, the little one. And he doesn't like strangers, probably thinks you're going to eat me or something"

The pun was obvious enough, sometimes he wondered how she was able to talk about things like that so lightly, but then again it wasn't like she hadn't outright asked him to do it so… So he has the preservation instinct that you clearly do not" he said dryly as he held the struggling creature by the scruff of its neck.

Reina narrowed her eyes at him "Yeah, pretty much" she stood up and sauntered over to him. He cat calmed as soon as she took it and started to run her fingers through its thick black fur. It didn't stop it from giving Ayato the stink eye in a way that was special to cats anywhere, he glared right back at the feline. "Ah don't be so sour" she held the beast out at him "He's really just a cute ball of fur"

The cat sputtered and hissed at him, struggling in Reina's hands that were gradually slackening their grip. Reflexively, his own hands rose to meet the fur of the creature, fingers brushing slightly with hers.

The beast froze for a second and proceeded to scratch Ayato in the face.

He would have crushed the thing if she hadn't taken it, laughing girlishly-just maybe not but it wasn't like he was going to find out. - the cat didn't seem to particularly find it funny either, as it pompously retired to the corner where there was a small plate with cat food and a little bed where it proceeded to sulk in.

Ayato glared at her.

She grinned and laid back on the couch.

"You're a weird human"

She gave him a look "Well, you're a weird Ghoul"

He rubbed at his temples, it was like she didn't –couldn't – take anything seriously before he could think up a response for her she started talking again "I wonder, how you guys see us sometimes y'know? You must find us pretty dull though"

Ayato sighed, something he found himself doing quite a lot in her company "More like annoying" his eyes met hers "stupidly carefree"

"Huh? I must be the prime example then" there was a joking undertone to her voice, he almost laughed.

You are more of a contradiction" he said thoughtfully" but still, annoying"

Reina turned on her side, her body curled up like a cat's she seemed thoughtful for a second "Annoying how?"

. Ayato nodded and spoke softly "Most of you are pathetic, fighting foolishly to survive"

She pursed her lips "Well we couldn't just lay down and die"

"Aren't you?" He raised an eyebrow at her, the woman snorted.

"Nope"

He ground his teeth "Then what the hell would you call it?"

Her eyes met his, piercing and completely serious "Looking for death" Reina blew at a stray strand of hair "wasn't I a contradiction anyway?"

"Doesn't mean you aren't just as pathetic"

Exasperated, she sat up "Then what's the difference? Is any of us not pathetic to you?"

Ayato stared at her disinterestedly "Some are… less pathetic. Or at least, not as annoying."

She laughed throatily "shades of gray huh?" Yeah, they pretty much were, Ayato barely took notice of most of them, especially the weak ones, even she had been little but a cocky nuisance when he'd first seen her. A little girl with an inflated ego and a big Quinque. The strong ones however, did catch his attention, if only because they made him wish for more, more power, a greater strength so he could be rid of them.

And then there was her, he tried not to think about that too much.

"Pretty much…" Reina zoned off again and Ayato glared at her. He really didn't know what to make of her, one minute it seemed like he'd finally managed to rile her up and then he just found himself with her apathy that made him want to throw her into bed again, if only to elicit some kind of response. "Why do you want to die so much anyway?"

The question seemed to startle her, wide gray eyes turned to his again.

Her lips trembled a little as she spoke "Because I died some time ago, my body is just taking a while to catch up."

It was a pretty idiotic reason, really, illogical too. But somehow it made sense, she was like the shadow of someone's self most of the time, he could count on the fingers of a hand how many tomes he'd seen her look truly alive, if the night before and that morning counted as only one. "That's pretty stupid"

"I never thought you'd understand"

"Why human? Do you think I couldn't?"

"Maybe not, for all of your moping around you're quite alive aren't you?"

"Well what does that-even mean?" he frowned

"Nothing" she quickly dismissed "and I agree, it does sound quite dumb" she paused for a second "I guess I'm melodramatic, but I do feel like I'm wandering about half alive"

In that moment she did look like a lost child and despite Ayato's taunts he did understand at least a little, she felt like something was missing.

It felt like they were both lying in some nook at the end of the world, some fold between dimensions, neither was anything there, and yet, they were what they were. The weight of the realization hit him like a stone, like a couple of steel beams falling from above

Nothing could change how the world truly was

To escape the unease that was quickly creeping up his spine, he looked around the room once again, upon finding nothing of interest, his eyes settled on her. Or more specifically on the thing that dangled form the chain around her neck, the chain that he hadn't seen her wear until the day before.

A thought hit him, she had wanted to die with that thing.

Ayato leaned toward her, making out that what had looked like a pendant at first was actually a ring.

She was within arm's reach, and made no movement to avoid his hand as it reached for her, that is, until she realized that he was about to grab the ring and flinched away almost instantly.

He'd have liked to think that he hadn't felt the pang of anger.

"You're married?" He grumbled, trying to not let the strain in his voice show.

To his surprise, she broke into laughter "Have you seen a husband running about?"

Ayato shot her what was probably his most deadpan look and she sighed.

"I was engaged once, though" seeing no change in his expression, she sighed again "He died, a long time ago"

How long could it have been? She couldn't be more than eighteen, twenty at most.

He scoffed "Figures you'd still keep the ring, humans are too sentimental"

"Just a few of us, really." The woman smiled, apparently relieved.

Outside, the sun began to set, and Ayato fumbled in his seat, fiddling with the now empty mug.

When he looked up, he found her grey eyes fixated on him, deep understanding in them.

Again, he felt more awkward than he had in a long time "I'm going now" his voice was soft because for some reason, it felt like raising it would break something important.

Reina smiled tiredly, peacefully.

He couldn't resist tugging her close for a last, heated kiss.

Her eyes remained closed after they were done.

Ayato understood.

Outside, he found that it was pretty cold.

.

.

So he was sleeping with the dove girl.

What the fuck

Honestly

Ayato decided that for the time being he'd consider it a lapse in his judgment –only, he had wanted her since the second time they'd fought, now he knew- it was out of his system and he would not go to the third ward again so long as he could avoid it.

She made him lose sight of what he wanted, who he was and that was no good, that was definitely no good.

Across the dining hall he caught Hinami's worried gaze.

.  
.

Twelve hours later, he woke up after a rather convoluted dream, sighing he name, and figured that he was in deep, deep trouble.


	8. Tangled

**Tangles**

"What's this I see? Didn't skimp on the details, did we?" Fumiko's eyebrows were probably wagging suggestively.

They'd probably reached  _that_  page already.

Her sketchbook was probably one of the very few things that kept her half sane, it'd taken Reina all of six months before she'd allowed the idiots to take a peek inside once in a while.

She was starting to wonder if it hadn't been a colossal mistake.

As it was, her three friends were hunched over it, giggling like normal schoolgirls. She'd toyed with the idea of not letting them see that time, but they'd have ended up doing so at some point, and that also would have been making it too important.

And it wasn't, dammit.

_Fuck_

"Was that who left your neck looking like you'd been mauled by some animal?" there was appreciation in Kami's tone "If it was, just know that I get it, really"

She just groaned, pressing her arm harder over her eyes.

She could almost see Shiina's apologetic smile as she spoke "I love this one Rei, it's very lifelike" as well as the moment when it turned to a full blown smirk "So, who is he?"

"Just some random guy" She finally deigned to answer

"You draw your random one night stands now?" Kami said.

She never had, and they all knew it. "Apparently"

"Oh, I really don't think this one was all that random, you've got some detail here Rei-chan" Fumiko laughed "You sure you didn't ask him to pose?"

The blush that had been threatening to rise to her cheeks hit full force before she blurted out "The hell I would've!"

"Then you paid a lot of attention" Kami said dryly.

They all burst into giggles, hell, it was just a drawing-of a nearly naked Ghoul whom she'd slept with for some very irrational reason- a good one, but that was all.

In it, he stood in her room, only his underwear covered the man's pristine body –she'd added them grudgingly, knowing that she'd be in that exact situation at some point, and  _then_  she'd have never heard the end of it- and his eyes held a very heated, hungry look.

"I hate you all" she threw her head back against the tree's trunk again, not bothering to avoid the deadpan looks –even Shiina was giving her one- and hoping that they'd let the issue go.

"I know that look" Fumiko cooed "It was some very good, very guilty sex"

Reina sputtered

Shiina's face glowed "C'mon, details, details"

"I'm not constantly asking you how Hamazaki is in bed" she pouted "I believe I'm entitled to the same treatment"

"Well" the short girl began, grinning "that's because Ayu-chan's my girlfriend and she wouldn't like it, one night stands are totally not off-limits"

"Naoto-kun doesn't mind if I tell, though" Fumiko giggled "So if you ever want to know the details-"

"Uh no, thanks, you already overshare as it is"

"Neither does Asahi y'know, actually, I think he'd like it" Kami intervened, smiling cattishly.

Reina snorted. "He's strange, he likes you and your dominatrix ways even"

"Yes, yes miss 'I like getting bitten until my neck looks worse than after a Ghoul attack'" Kami had the thickest skin out of them, and anyway, their friendship had basically been founded on how many jabs from each other could bounce from their skins "But Shi, does have a point, unless he wasn't quite a one night stand, hm?"

Rei shot up "Why wouldn't he be?"

Because he had been, she doubted what had happened would ever be repeated , even though he was more than just some random guy, but not in that sense. Black Rabbit was her rival, a challenge, but never what they were implying, she'd probably die if he finally made up his mind by the next time they met.

Kami looked her dead in the eye "A, because he's in your room, B, because you act like we're accusing you of sleeping with a Ghoul or something"

Reina was a lot of things, a gifted liar was one of them, she burst into convincing laughter and all but barked "As if" if only Kami knew "Ugh fine, can I just say that it was very, very good?"

Fumiko sighed, seemingly letting the issue go "So long as you don't start getting worked up like this over every other guy"

Kuroiwa and Naoto's arrival cut Shiina's protests short, and she found it the perfect moment to snatch her notebook away and shove it into her bag, but not before stealing a last glance at the drawing.

The thing really was lifelike.

.

.

The woman's look of disapproval was patent.

Reina had arrived half an hour late to the meeting, and though she'd taken it upon herself to make excuses for her subordinate, Akira Mado was clearly not happy with her.

Oh well

They were in ward fourteen, tailing some random ghoul who picked men up in bars. Haise Sasaki was tagging along as well.

All in all, they pulled off undercover well, Reina had made sure to not look a day younger than twenty-one, though the fake ID that rested in her pocket was good enough to solve any issues she might have.

Haise had chuckled when she'd flashed it to Mado, earning himself a disapproving look.

Currently, they were in an upscale bar, all fancy suits and amber lowlights.

The men were all dressed in formal office wear, so were the women and she saw nothing that seemed unfamiliar.

"I don't think this is our place Akira-san" she smiled at her superior, just like she would have if she'd been speaking to Kami of Shiina.

After all, one never knew when sharp ears could be around "Me neither, it's full of businesspeople"

"Should we hop another? I mean we really don't fit in with this crowd" Her superior pulled up her phone, quickly sending a text to Sasaki, who was at the car, ready to go meet them with it –and their Quinques- if they happened to see anything suspicious.

But so far there had been nothing, they were probably frequenting the wrong places, the ghoul had been preying on your average twenty-something drunk, not businessmen.

"Sure" They walked out, both were dressed up just enough not to look out of place and when the bouncer gave Reina an appreciative look, she grinned knowingly at him, under Mado's glare.

All to blend in right? They were after all defenseless but for Sasaki who could only get there so fast.

They tried a place called Helter Skelter next.

Instantly, she felt her senses jump up, though the clientele did not fit the profile for the Ghoul's prey, there was just something about the place –which was packed- that put her on edge.

"We don't seem to be having much luck today huh Rei?" Akira said

"Nope" Reina said "C'mon, let's grab a drink here, at least, my feet hurt" they didn't, she was used to pointe shoes, heels were nothing in comparison, but switching places so quickly was bound to attract attention.

The bartender was a beautiful woman with orange hair. "What can I get you two ladies?"

Again, the bad feeling she had about the place rippled within Reina. "May I have a margarita please?" Better to start soft, it was early enough.

"Just some water" Mado said, before Reina all but kicked her under the bar.

"Oh loosen up Akira" The orange haired beauty looked at them strangely, Reina though to see some calculative quality in her gaze, but it was gone as soon as it had come "Sorry about my friend, she'll have the same as me."

Akira sighed, and the other woman smiled "Sure, can I see some ID, though?"

"No problem" She wordlessly handed out her fake and Akira did the same with hers, the woman lingered on it for some reason. It too was fake, as Akira Mado was a name well known in the CCG though Reina had checked it over and it was a very, very good one.

Kirishiki Akira and Yagiri Reina should have had nothing to worry about.

The woman smiled and handed the IDs back to them. "I'll be right back with your drinks"

Mado was glaring at her "C'mon, we came out here to have a good time, didn't we?"

The older woman sighed "I think we should go to a club next"

"Sure, there's really no point in trying out more bars"

The drinks arrived shortly after, and once they'd spent an appropriate amount of time finishing then, they paid the cheery woman –whom Reina for some reason wanted to get away from as soon as she could-, the two women exited the place.

Reina was surprised to see Sasaki waiting outside in the car. Mado's voice held authority when it floated up to her, despite the pink tinge to the woman's face. "You two are switching places"

Reina frowned "Fine by me, it'll be easier with bait won't it?"

"Pretty much, and I need someone who will follow my orders Akagi-san"

"It's not my fault that you were making us stand out" she said "And that place reeked of seedy deals"

"You are my subordinate, not the other way around, you will obey me" a half-smile formed on the blonde's face "But I suppose that you did inherit your mother's instincts."

Reina just grit her teeth at that.

Inside the car, Sasaki seemed to already know of the switch, once they had driven two blocks over to the nearest big club, he handed Reina the keys and proceeded to loosen up his shirt.

Reina had received two consecutive negatives when finally, finally, Sasaki gave her the signal to go pick them up.

She didn't expect him to be carrying a very out of it Mado.

The white haired man laid the other woman on the backseat and smiled apologetically at Reina as he got in.

"She said that she would only have one drink" he brought his left hand up to caress jigs chin "but then she started acting weird, and it's too bad because we had seen someone who could have been the target"

Her eyes widened "Is she still inside?"

"I think so" the rank two investigator's face took on a thoughtful visage "we should hang around, if she were to try to take anyone tonight…"

Reina shrugged "Sure"

She couldn't help but notice how he eyed the hickeys that remained on her neck.

Ah, if only the poor sod knew.

Well if he knew, he'd arrest her, but still, Sasaki had an air of being uncannily innocent in those matters for his age and line of work. In that way he was Ayato's opposite, despite being –presumably- younger the ghoul was quite mature in all aspects.

_I'm first-naming him in my mind now? What the-_

It had been about an hour when Sasaki startled her out of her stupor. "That's her"

A short, curvy woman, dragging some half passed out man towards the more residential area of the district.

After letting them get a few blocks ahead, she started advancing slowly, not very far down the road, in the haze of streetlights the couple seemed to disappear.

Reina stepped on the accelerator. "Unlock the window" Sasaki's face had turned serious, she did what he asked, though she didn't quite know why.

The white haired man rolled the window down, they were almost at the point where the supposed ghoul and its prey had disappeared, where she could now make out a tiny alley, pitch dark, between two office buildings "Shit!" She hadn't had time to stop the car when Sasaki, briefcase in hand jumped out of the door and sprinted to the alley.

What- Oh.

She had heard the rumors, of course, but if it was as she thought, there was at least some truth to them.

Once the car was parked and locked and Koujirou was a reassuring weight in her hand, she ran to Sasaki's barely visible form.

She'd expected one ghoul, but there were two.

The man from before laid bleeding on the ground, and two forms with growing kagune protruding from their backs were fighting in the reduced space.

Sasaki was crouching behind a rather tall trash bin.

"Yotsume assigned us hunting grounds last week, you can't just come charging in Ebisu" The clash of the kagune didn't stop once throughout the conversation, now even Reina could smell the blood

"Have you too become one of Aogiri's bitches now Azusa?"

"I'd be stupid not to be, they own half the ward, Rabbit has been negotiating with the Buffoon, and in no time they'll just kill anyone who opposes them"

"Idiots is what the lot of you are, I've hunted here since I arrived in the ward, I won't give up my grounds" the man's voice, suddenly dropped "but I might be willing to share, if you listen to me"

The clashing stopped, the female ghoul seemed to be weighing her options.

"Azusa, you know you can't win against me" he said "and that's some big prey you have there for just you"

Sasaki turned to look at her, his hand moved, he pointed at her and held up one finger.

Reina understood, they couldn't let the conversation go on for much longer.

"Fi-"

The two ghouls must've been startled, Reina made for the woman instantly, barely bothering to glance at Sasaki, who was already parrying a blow of the man's Ukaku.

Her fight was finished earlier, the woman had been the weaker one after all, and though Reina had gotten a nasty stab on her leg, she'd had worse.

The information they'd gotten was valuable also, if Aogiri had the manpower to take over yet another ward, that mean that the projections made for their growth were being surpassed, she shuddered, it was even possible that they were in the ward in that moment, that  _he_  was close by.

It had been a week.

Sasaki incapacitated his ghoul soon enough too, as he was done, he shot a glance at Reina's own opponent, which laid on the ground with her guts spilled over the alley's dirty floor.

There was pity in his eyes, almost pain.

Rumors always started for a reason.

He lifted his phone to his ear and asked for a cleanup squad to the closest address.

"You should take Akira somewhere else" he said softly "If anyone sees her like this it'd be bad"

She put Koujirou back in its case "Do you know her address Sasaki-san?"

"Yeah-"

Her voice startled them both "There's no need" still slightly unsteady, Akira Mado stood at the mouth of the alley "Now, will you kindly give me the mission report?"

Sasaki proceeded to give her a near exact account of the events, his memory for the conversation was especially remarkable.

"Yotsume… and Rabbit, you say?"

"Yes, Aogiri seems to be taking over this place quicker than we'd anticipated"

"We are submitting a request to participate the investigation this leads open" she turned to look at Reina, the report seemed to have sobered her up completely, the blonde's eyes burned with an uncanny, indescribable emotion "You two did a good job, as soon as you're healed up, head down to headquarters, we will all need to be present."

Reina raised an eyebrow at her "Tonight?"

"Yes, tonight" Mado all but barked, but then her expression softened "I do apologize for my lack of professionalism"

Reina just shrugged as the red and blue lights of the CCG cars enveloped them all.

.

.

Only in headquarters, when their participation had been approved of, did she realize just who she was now chasing down.

.

.

Being part of such an investigation was not usually as busy, but since the prey was big, everybody after a promotion and their brother was tripping over themselves to get ahead, and so Mado had her revising all info that had been gathered on their targets in the past few years, while she and Sasaki worked on another case.

Reina wasn't complaining all that much, though.

All that had taken was a short call and explanation from Mado and three of her professors had offered to count her work in the case as the quarter's grade.

Shame none of them had been the History of countermeasures old man, but well, at least she didn't have to take Ghoul biology anymore –the subject wasn't boring, the class was- and anyway, by that point, she was pretty sure that she could even make a few interesting additions to the books –like how sensitive the place where the kakuhou was located seemed to be, though when that would be useful to any investigator was debatable-.

Sighing, she put Yotsume's file away, even if she had appeared just a year and a half before, her appearances were plenty, as it was fitting of an Aogiri member, she supposed.

The grueling task, however, had shed light on quite a few things, the reason Mado seemed so fixated in that case standing out among them.

She couldn't say that she blamed the woman, Kureo Mado's body had been in a dreadful state, and it was more than confirmed that it had been Yotsume and Aya-Rabbit that'd done the man in.

Reina stretched, feeling her muscles- for once not achy from training or dancing or fighting- strain in the cold air, the quaint clock in the wall marked eleven.

Headquarters was almost empty at that time of night, being a student, she hadn't been allowed to take the files home –she was sure that Mado knew and was taking revenge for her stint with the margarita- though she had enough time to get to the train before they stopped running, she'd figured it was better to pull an all-nighter and get it over with.

In addition ton to that, she was finally down to the –enormous, by the way- folder that she'd been both aching and dreading to read since she had started on Yotsume's.

Before she had time to reach for the file, a hand clasped her back.

She jumped, startled, and he earbuds popped out of her ears with the motion.

"Uh sorry" Haise Sasaki was standing in front of her with dark circles under his eyes and a mug of coffee in his hand "I figured you were still here on Akira's assignment, and I brought over some coffee, though I don't know if you even like coffee so sorry I-"

A tired laugh escaped her "Thanks, Sasaki-san, I love coffee"

It was hard to be cold to him, he sort of reminded her of a kitten, and well, she had been wanting for some coffee.

It'd been a while since she'd eaten too huh? She'd forgotten to have lunch.

"You should call me Haise, Akagi-san" he handed her the cup and sank on the chair next to hers, he looked, if possible more tired than her.

"Then call me Reina" she said "in fact, so long as you can avoid it, don't mention my last name."

"I will" the man stared at her for a minute "You really don't get along with your mother do you?"

One thing about people who seem innocent is that they also tend to be quite blunt "If it's that obvious, I don't think I have to say it"

He laughed nervously "That's true, it's just that we should try to cherish the people who are close to us"

The look that she gave him could have probably sent a few seasoned investigators running "That woman has never, in any way been close to me" Reina sighed "Look, just, don't mention her, anything else is fine"

Sasaki gave her a kicked puppy look "So-ehm uh, have you gotten around to black rabbit's file yet"

The entire table was still scattered with her annotations, she pulled the file towards herself "I was just about to start, Yotsume took a while"

Haise winced "Black rabbit's been around longer, it's probably going to be worse. You should get some sleep and continue tomorrow"

"Nah, I'm pulling an all-nighter on these" she opened the file " I kind of like reading them anyways, they're almost like books and one can say that these ghouls have lived a lot even if they're both so young."

It was the truth, Yotsume's file comprised only a year and a half but if one were to redact it as a story it would probably several hundreds of pages long, and that was only what the CCG knew about her. Reina was sure that it'd be the same if not more for Ayato, assuming that he was, as she thought around nineteen or twenty.

They might be ghouls, but their histories were interesting,  _they_  were.

"I think so too, you know" and there was a vulnerability in the older investigator's eyes, vulnerability and a lot of pain. "That their lives have mattered. And it's not strange, I mean you were once faced with the choice of becoming a bit like them" Her shocked expression seemed to amuse him "Arima tried to persuade her not to take you off the list when you had already accepted"

"Figures" She smiled, Reina had never met the Shinigami in person, but just that fact made her like him a little bit "Then I guess it makes sense that you think this way too" his lovely expression was all of a sudden tainted with curiosity "Rumors aren't kind y'know, I figured at least part of them was true the day of the mission in the fourteenth" she held his gaze, their eyes were similar hues of grey, though where his was more like silver, Reina had always likened her own eyes to steel "But don't worry, I'm not about to believe the more outlandish parts of them"

"And those would be?"

"Oh there are many, some state that you were allowed to live because somehow you seduced Arima, or that there are ritualistic sacrifices in your quarters" The grin she got in response to that was weak, well fuck, tact had never been one of her outstanding qualities. "I like you, though, even if you did somehow seduce the marble god that is our Shinigami"

 _That_  had the desired effect, as Haise flushed and choked on his own spit, prompting a rather vicious episode of giggling on her part.

"Oh, then you like to read?" He said, after the laugher had died down.

"Very much so, well, only novels, really but I do adore it" His mood shifted immediately, light took over his face.

"I get it" he smiled, like a kid in Christmas morning "Have you read anything by Takatsuki Sen?"

"Only the hanged man of McGuffin"

"That one is great, I could lend you some books by her if you wanted" his excitement was palpable "I particularly like The Black Goat's Egg"

"I've heard lots of good things about that one, I'd love to borrow it" she said, sincerely

"Ok then, I'll bring it over tomorrow" he said eyeing the folder "I have a feeling you'll still be here in the morning"

She snorted "Probably"

"Oh well, I guess I need to go check up on those kids now" he held out his hand "Goodnight Reina-san"

"Goodnight Haise"

She turned back to the opened folder and checked the first recorded date.

_Well, haven't you been busy Black Rabbit._

It dated back nine years.

.

.

_A youth of blue hair and tattered clothes seen hiding below a bridge._

_._

_._

… _Several investigators killed in line of duty, all by the same Ghoul…match is a 100%_

_._

_._

_A short figure otter beside the tall, lean frame of one of Aogiri's top brass._

_._

_._

…  _It is believed that he hunts between wards 13, 14, 9 and 11…_

_.  
._

…  _Ghoul's implicated are Fueguchi (Yotsume), Eyepatch and Rabbit… Kagune matches at 64%... Kureo Mado_

_._

_._

_Black Rabbit seems to prefer ward nine to hunt, he has gone on a spree of investigator killings there ever since the attack on Aogiri's base._

_._

_._

_Kagune matches at 81%...suspected cannibalism… the whole Ghoul syndicate has been exterminated…_

_._

_._

_Kagune matches at 67%... victim is a civilian_

_._

_._

_Seems to have adopted a younger Ghoul that goes by the name of Yotsume._

_._

_._

_Kagune matches at 80%... victim is associate special class Tanaka Yoshifumi._

.

.

_Seemed to recognize Special Class' Shinohara's Quinque, as he called out its name._

_._

_._

_Seems to have risen in rank within the organization._

.

Morning came rather fast, or at least it felt like it did, if it had seemed like she had taken too many notes on Yotsume, then Black Rabbit's forty pages of annotations made her ten pages pale in comparison.

Reina was truly starting to believe that no one ever did this kind of work, there were several little patterns within his inform that no one had told her about before, they had been trying to catch Ayato for nearly a decade and they never realized that the fluctuations of his kagune tracks fell into a somewhat regular, well defined interval?

There were several other little things that just did not fit, some of the  _incidents_  that he'd been supposedly involved in seemed like sloppy jobs, for him at least, almost regretful, and if there was something that she could gather from even the earliest confirmed kill of his was that he was never remorseful of having to do what he did.

Also, for a ghoul whose definite tracks were only ever found in the ninth thirteenth and eleventh, he sure seemed to have crossed over into the twentieth and twenty first wards quite a lot.

Maybe it was the –third, fourth cup- coffee, it would have been too perfect, to exact, made too much sense in a way.

Yet when she marked the high and low matches to the sloppy jobs, they matched perfectly.

Cannibalism could cause odd kagune fluctuations, but not remorse, not to say a complete switch on preying profiles.

The case of Kureo Mado itself was odd, to say the least, aside from Yotsume, Eyepatch had also been in it, a quick check on that particular Ghoul's file –using the Akagi family's password, as the public access file barely contained the Ghoul's alias and a status of Deceased- made it evident that he had been a bitter enemy of the Tree's, and yet, he'd fought and been grievously injured to make sure that back up didn't reach Rabbit and Yotsume. To make it worse, that scene was one of those that presented the 64% match tracks.

Still, the ratio was too high, it had to be Black Rabbit.

Only maybe not.

Everything was connected, Black Rabbit had made some rather public apparitions after that, but she didn't think it was the same person who had been there when Yotsume had murdered Kureo Mado, everything was linked and she already had an idea of how things could be, Eyepatch had been the lynchpin to the story.

For her sanity's own good, Reina didn't want to know if her theory was right.

Each second she was surer, he was protecting someone, a sibling, probably given the moderately similar kagune tracks.

And if he cared about this person so much…

All of a sudden, she was no longer sure if she wanted to report that.

.

.

It was stupid, what she was doing, really.

On one hand it was a very interesting twist to things and it could explain so much.

On the other, for someone like him to go to that extent to protect someone… and it wasn't like Akira wanted info on him, not really, the wounds in her father's body had almost all belonged to Yotsume's kagune.

The closer she got to her house the less she knew what to do.

After getting the promised book from Haise, she had left in a flurry of eyebags and messy hair, not wanting to run into Akira until she had decided. Reina hadn't wanted to dig any deeper, she had covered for him once before, that had been easy, and feigning idiocy this time would probably be even easier, despite the fact that her mind had already figured out how to make the connection, all it'd take would be a quick background search and she was likely to hold in her hands his last name, his history and the info on this relative that he seemed hell-bent on protecting.

Reina had half a mind to run back to the office and run it, and then tell Mado all about it.

Something stopped her.

She climbed the fire escape slowly that time, with a heavy mind and a confused heart.

.

.

_**Report on file revision.** _

_**Subject files #658a #1258b** _

_**Submits: Akagi Reina- Academy student.** _

_**Submitted to: Mado Akira- First class investigator** _

_**Abstract:** _ _Revision of case files of the Ghoul's denominated as Yotsume and Black Rabbit –both of which currently work with the organization known as Aogiri tree- ever since their appearance in the commission's files. The revision will include forensic evidence of the Ghoul's victims as well as previous descriptions of witnesses both civilians and investigators and scientific considerations on these made by the commission's experts._

_**Results** _

_**Yotsume** _

_Given her increasing appearances at high level missions of the Tree, and the power growth that several investigators have reported, it is safe to assume that she had been climbing their ranks. Since her first appearance she had presented a dual Kagune which matches the description of one of the Tree's top overseers in wards nine and eleven, though there's no evidence supporting that their base is currently established in either of these areas –there is heavy proof of it being in ward thirteen however-. Yotsume and Rabbit have been partners since her first appearance, dating back two years, currently, they both seem to be in charge of the taking over of ward nine, although given this ward's particular characteristics it has proved a challenge. Finally, Yotsume seems to present sensory capabilities that stand out even among ghouls –as it is evidenced in reports f856 v3258 and at1478-, this could be an asset to capturing her, if out teams could ascertain a rough guess for her hearing range._

_**Black Rabbit** _

_Currently he holds one of the highest ranked positions in Aogiri, though seemingly still below the One Eyed King's inner circle of followers. This ghoul appeared for the first time about nine years ago, with a string of home invasion cases, the victims always were single men in their late thirties, which could hint to a bitterness towards a paternal figure, especially since reports clearly show that he could not have been any older than twelve –at most-. Later on, he appeared as a henchman to one of Aogiri's top officers – see file #356a- whose duties he seems to have taken over in the previous year, like Yotsume, he seems to be in charge of two wards, nine and fourteen the latter which is now almost completely under his control, the former in which the level of conflict has risen significantly in the past month. He is believed to reside in ward thirteen in the still unknown base of the Tree. Finally, the evolution of his kagune over the years shows signs of cannibalism, in fact a comparison of the cannibal cases of the eleventh ward that occurred during a period of two years and which date back to Aogiri's first expansions into this ward revealed kagune tracks that show a matching ratio of eighty percent when compared to the first record of his. He isn't believed to have any relatives._

_**Conclusions:** _

_This investigator believes that if the strike is to be made against both targets at once, it should be prepared taking advantage of their continued presence in the ninth ward and the disorder that already reigns within it, lest one of them flees upon the attack on the other._

_The fourteenth ward should be cleaned up systematically, as evidence hints at the Tree gaining too much power in a site that already presents an overabundance of Ghoul's._

.

.

Once the report was turned in –to a rather tired looking Akira- it was almost like an enormous weight had been lifted from her back.

She'd only lied once in it, only a sentence and she had still revealed her suspicions of his cannibalistic habits. Those were a real suspicion of hers, despite anything, cannibalistic Ghoul's weren't that uncommon those days and even the evolution of his kagune, reported by the few investigators whom had survived him seemed to match a pattern of occasional cannibalism.

If she was lucky, some other person would discover it, she could deal with not being touted as a shining mind, and anyway, she had a feeling that despite whatever she might have wanted-because, yes, world, she wanted him, what else could Reina say- she wouldn't see the blue haired man in a while.

What had happened wasn't supposed to, thankfully since he had only stayed over once, they probably wouldn't be discovered, but anything else would be like hanging a rather vicious guillotine above both of their necks.

Akira confirmed that they were attacking the ninth soon that night.

.

.

Soon was apparently almost a month later, Reina finished strapping knives to every part of herself that she could strap knives to and sat on the floor of her room, staring at the blank page in front of her as if it had somehow done her a personal wrong.

_Well what am I supposed to say, 'Give the building back to my mother and never forget to feed my cat?'_

Said cat was looking at her like she had grown a second head, Reina scooped the furball up and put it on her lap, the heat was somehow comforting.

It wasn't as if she had that much, of the apartment she only owned the furniture, her books and her clothes, which she didn't much care about if she died.

Kami had agreed to take Mik in case of any eventualities and Reina had already said a preemptive food by to her friends, there was no one else who remained in the world that she wanted to get a message out to, much less a testament –for some reason she had a feeling that bitching at her mother in the testament would be a bit too passé-.

Well there was one person, but she would be meeting him regardless of stupid letters.

She'd caught glimpses of blue in the familiar little alcove a few times during that month, but something had stopped her from so much as leaving a note. Ayato hadn't made much of an effort to approach either.

Reina felt pathetic, what was she moping around for? Maybe it was because for a good few long days, she'd been kept so occupied by the CCG matters –and Mado's hellish training regimes- that her emptiness had not felt as acute as it usually did, maybe because she'd helped devise more than then plans of action that would end with a man that she'd forced herself to see as a monster during the meetings but she did not really think of as such, die.

And now she was walking right into his base in the ninth, and it had totally been her idea.

.

.

_To my friends, again, goodbye. Those truly were good times._

_P.S: Kami, if you don't take good care of Mikhail I'll haunt you._

_._

_._

Reina side eyed the rank two's whom she had been placed beside.

_Well isn't this anti-climactic_

They were all in the back, instructed to try and get any ghouls that tried to slip through the cracks.

She hadn't seen the first though.

The terrified faces that surrounded her told the black haired woman that she wasn't the only one in her first grand scale attack.

Mado was at fault for most of it, actually, Reina was supposed to go in with her group, but the older woman had brought her Quinque in for repairs two days before and she was at the CCC rushing the poor engineers that couldn't have been on time with such a deadline, and so Reina could only wait.

A somewhat familiar hand yanked her backwards, with battle honed senses, though she was still far from where people were truly fighting, Reina had a knife pressed to their throat in mere seconds.

Base stared at her, wide eyed but calm.

"Akira is going to be late"

"I gathered" She raised an eyebrow "I'm sure that she isn't any happier about it than we are."

"I bet" The white haired man laughed nervously "the thing is, that we're being called in regardless"

"We are what?" originally the plan was four our team to go with First class Fumine's to Yotsume's presumed location, but without Akira they wouldn't be authorized to, Sasaki was barely a rank two and well, she hadn't even graduated the academy.

"Two of associate special class Ouma's subordinates died with the first wave" he explained frantically "They are working with first class Suzuya's team, both headed for the Rabbit, and Director Washuu decided we'd replace them"

Reina wanted to laugh –maybe cry a bit too? - Destiny seemed to love to toy with her, she'd been relieved when their squad, no doubt at Mado's insistence, had been placed in charge of Yotsume. But in the end, she figured it was almost like poetic justice, they would finish their battle this time around, Ayato was one of the principal targets of the operation, even if squad 0 wasn't butting in, it was very unlikely that he would come out of it alive.

She picked her Quinque up and wound her hair in an even tighter bun. Sasaki was looking at her like he'd thought she'd refuse "Well, let's go, that Rabbit ghoul owes me one." The two headed towards the left side of the building without so much as a glance back, and Reina smiled slowly at the man "We can show them that we're no pushovers either."

.

.

Their backs pressed against each other's as blood from a ghoul whose demise she had not seen washed upon Reina.

Unlike what she had expected, the two squad leaders had received them warmly, well as warmly as one could be received in the midst of a battle, with Ouma even saying that he had requested them both specifically, knowing that Mado was held up with her Quinque's repairs.

Suzuya was a little odd, but then again, it wasn't like there weren't rumors about him too.

It made sense.

She for one had succeeded at coming out of a confrontation with their target alive –the circumstances weren't all that important- she knew well how Rabbit's kagune worked and Sasaki, well, now that she saw him move in the swarm of Aogiri underlings that were no doubt guarding someone of some importance, she could tell that even for an investigator, his abilities were above the human.

Koujirou separated a head cleanly from its body, then an arm from another, and successively, successively, until the world became a blur of red and purple and black sclera and dripping blood.

She didn't remember being so coated in blood ever before, blood that wasn't hers. Haise wasn't fairing much better either.

And then, abruptly, the underlings retreated into the shadows of the wide room, and scurried somewhere through invisible trapdoors in the floor and from a door on the very opposite wall  _they_  came in.

There were seven figures there, five of which they were completely unprepared for, they had counted on Black Rabbit being alone, maybe with one high level bodyguard, not with half of Aogiri's S-rate population by his side.

Unrelenting, her gaze insisted in dragging itself towards the coal black mask of the man at the center of the formation.

Reina looked to the side, at Sasaki.

For some reason the recognition in her face was mirrored in his.

.

.

Little did they know that a very winded Akira was arriving to the other building, where Yotsume was supposed to be.

The blonde investigator caught up with the team that was supposed to take on Yotsume just before they ran into the lone female figure.

.

.

When first class Suzuya gave the order, they all scattered into position, he of course, had made for the rabbit, only to be intercepted by the only unmasked person in the group of Ghouls, it was then that Reina recognized he buff, long haired man.

Masataka Kamishiro.

The SS-rated ghoul had no business being there, the Tree had been waiting, evidently, the CCG had a mole.

First class Okuma had then taken on the rabbit, as his two remaining subordinated were ordered to attack the ghoul known as Naki and his servants.

That left two Ghouls that Reina had never seen.

Suzuya's team was composed of only another two men, one with tawny hair that stuck up in every direction and a kind looking man whose black hair was pin straight and reached his waist. A quick wing from Sasaki and they went for the one in the left.

She and Sasaki stood side by side, with their Quinque gleaming in their arms.

Yukimura and Koujirou made quite an impression together.

The ghoul wore a long mask, the chin of which nearly reached its chest, it was white and from what Reina could make out, the motive of it seemed to be some sort of knightly being.

"Lancer" Sasaki muttered at her side.

Just as if on cue, a rod of Kagune extended from the ghoul and the only thing that saved her from being impaled was the parry that she'd barely been able to make with Koujirou. Even then, it grazed her side, leaving a gash that bled profusely, though thankfully, it was just a flesh wound.

Both Sasaki and her shot forwards, as he yelled specifications at her. "We've gone with an S~ rating for now, but he seems fairly new to the city, so we haven't been able to figure it out. The silver haired man wheezed "He has a Koukaku"

"That I see" Reina masked a knife throw with a swing of her Quinque, it missed the artery, catching instead, just the skin of the man's neck at the nape of which she could see tufts of honey blonde hair peeking out.

Sasaki stepped behind the thing, which tried to dodge, throwing itself to the side, and in a fluid movement impaled it through the shoulder.

Reina knew that her superior had been aiming for the heart.

It, however turned towards Sasaki like Yukimura hadn't just gone all the way through his articulation, which was already knitting back together. Haise pulled Yukimura our hastily and fell back into a defensive position, bracing himself for the barrage of kicks and jabs that came a second later.

A veiled three fingers raised by the silver haired man behind his back had her skidding forwards with her axe held in front of her body.

Pale, calloused fingers caressed the Quinque's grip and the sheets of material that usually held it steady to her arm retracted.

Akira had deemed that what she was lacking the most – aside from actually connecting with her Quinque- was teamwork.

And so she'd had her and Sasaki practice a limited number of combinations of the kind where if one of the parts failed by even a second, it'd probably result in death for both.

Done correctly, however, those combinations were enough to take most Ghouls by surprise.

Haise stood in front of the thing, parrying its attacks and dodging what he couldn't.

Reina tapped her foot on the floor three times, then once, harder –in the noise of the battles around them, it would have been impossible to make the sounds out for anyone completely human-.

Three knives rested in her left hand.

The signal was made.

.

.

The Ghoul known as Lancer did not understand a thing of what the Doves were saying. Barely a month in this strange city of this strange country and he already found himself faced with a life or death situation.

The white haired man all but danced in front of him, his partner seemed to be recuperating in the background, and for a thin woman like that swinging a Koukaku so big must've been draining.

Lancer couldn't take more than a second to worry about her, as the man jumped to the left and thrust his word Quinque forward.

Lancer dodged.

One spot of pain bloomed in his shoulder.

The dive arched back and to the right and kicked the Ghoul's arm away

A second spot of pain flourished in his stomach.

Enraged, he looked at the man.

A particularly fast rod of Kagune threw the dove off balance and to the left.

A silver flash grazed his cheek.

The first two had hit their targets, the third had barely grazed him, and beneath his mask Lancer's eyes widened when the fourth – an axe- came towards him.

He had to all but throw himself to the floor, and he did so in the best moment possible, as the giant kagune barely missed his head.

He would've let out a sigh of relief, if four tentacles hadn't penetrated his stomach and chest then.

With a last second of lucidity, he formed rods and shot all of the RC cells that remained in his body towards where the tentacles were sprouting from.

His rods burst out of his chest, it was a last ditch attempt to protect the people who had offered him shelter after he'd had to escape from his homeland a few months prior.

An unusually bittersweet smell filled his nostrils, it was undoubtedly blood but- ah…

.

.

Reina's legs had been moving before she even finished throwing the heavy Quinque, she chose the side where Naki and his bodyguards fought with Ouma's subordinates, and she circled around the place where her own battle was happening.

A dying scream filled the room, together with the unmistakable sound of bone, flesh and muscle tearing apart.

Human or Ghoul- it wasn't Haise's voice-?

For once in her life she wished she could know by smell.

Instead of turning around, however, she ran faster.

_What use am against monsters as strong as these without my Quinque anyways?_

Only when the reassuring ribbons of living steel wound around her arm did she look up.

In the vast room, mayhem was occurring, the carnage was all over, but it was two particular scenes that caught her attention.

Lancer laid impaled by Sasaki's kagune, and the same was true the other way around, several spikes pierced the half-Ghoul's body, they protruded from lancer's body in a way where she was sure that he'd used even the RC cells that were not meant to form a kagune in that one, dying move. And she almost wished to scream despite herself when she saw how one of them had shallowly pierced the older man's left eye.

Haise, however, was moving, systematically, breaking off the rods and extracting what was left of them once he had a bit more of space.

She couldn't see the older investigator's face but so long as he still moved, the durability of his body remained far higher than that of a human's.

The second scene, however, she was then sure, was where the anguished scream had come from before. Ouma's glassy, lifeless green eyes were zeroed in a vacant point somewhat to her left.

The kagune had pierced the center of his chest, breaking the sternum, and then pulled open his ribcage like a book.

On top of him, a Ghoul had buried his head into the thoracic cavity and was in the process of tearing off chunks of flesh from the body while it supported itself with its only remaining arm.

His face was obscured by Ouma's morbidly raised ribcage, but she knew the long blue hair that turned purple at the tips from all the blood it had absorbed.

The bloody lump that had taken the place of his arm was slowly elongating and taking shape anew, clearly fueled by the banquet Black Rabbit had treated himself to in the form of the associate special class investigator.

Reina didn't have any time to berate herself for the pang of worry for her enemy that passed through her at the sight, no, instead, she found that her teammate had risen from the place where Lancer's lifeless body laid. The four tentacles that protruded from his back were larger than she'd ever seen them while training.

And then he turned around, where peaceful grey had once greeted her, was bright blood red.

Sasaki's murderous gaze was unfocused, and in a burst of blinding speed she found a tentacle half buried in her gut as she saw her another one of them penetrate the back of the still feeding Ayato

Reina didn't need to think twice about it, Koujirou was already high on the air when she registered the pain and she brought it down with all of the strength that the awkward position afforded her. It was worth it, however, when the Rinkaku shattered and she stumbled backwards, wary of the wound's placement, pretty sure that if it had gone too deem she was in a lord of trouble.

More importantly, RC cells had started to form something that resembled some sort of beak in the left side of Sasaki's face.

This creature was not Haise Sasaki.

The tentacle came back and back, she deflected it well enough, as the Ghoul's true aim seemed to be Ayato, who had been skewered by the tentacle and though his arm had finished growing back, the last two tentacles were trying to get in a good stab to the head.

The winged Ghoul had at some point slipped his mask back inn and was trying to keep up with the two tentacles as he looked for some way to sever the third.

"…Protect everyoooonne… mooom why'd you go…world's twisted… tastes like rotten fish entraiiiils" Sasaki's body kept on spouting garbled nonsense, as he pulled the tentacle that went through Ayato's stomach back and half curled it around the Ghoul's body before he sent him flying and crashing into the wall next to Reina.

"KenKenKenKenKENKENkENENkEN" The creature leaped towards her, by this point the other occupants of the room had turned at least some of the attention to them –well both Suzuya and Sachi had disappeared into another room through a hole that the latter had punched into the wall- with its speed and trajectory, he'd barely brush past her, it didn't seem like he was after her particularly.

Most other investigators would've waited until Haise had killed Black Rabbit before trying to tranquilize him.

Reina just couldn't.

The decision was made in a split second, she didn't have any more time.

No one would ever know that she had seen that he wasn't going to attack her, after all.

Still, the silver haired man had somewhat become her friend in the previous month, seriously attacking him… No, instead, she shifted Koujirou to her left hand and picked three knives from her belt, prepared, and just as the Ghoul was about to blow past her, she threw all of her weight into his body and sunk one of the knives deep into the tendons at the back of his left knee, while she jammed another in the articulation between his shoulder and arm.

Haise would recover from those wounds ok, she'd seen him regenerate in a few occasions, and he would. Reina genuinely like the older man and his innocent smiles, it was a bond of camaraderie more than anything, but in the short time that they'd spent as partners, it had become strong.

"Fuck, Sasaki get a hold on yourself." The thrashing ghoul in her arms dug it's fingernails into her thighs.

A battle was being fought within the man, it was easily visible, she had no doubt that the ghoul could easily tear off chunks of her legs if he wanted to, but though the wounds were bleeding profusely, and there was no major tissue damage.

And then, behind her she heard shuffling, and heavy footsteps, Reina didn't dare let go of the knives that were hindering Sasaki's movement, though he seemed to be calming dow-

"Fucking Kaneki, you can't help but live in fantasies, can you?"

Even without turning around she knew that voice, she knew the pained smirk in his face and the smell of his blood and-

And then Sasaki went wild.

"kANEkaneKANEkakkakakne… my eeeeeyes….. ahhhhhahahahahahahahah…KenkenkenKEN" another two tentacles pawned from his back, one threw her harshly against the wall –and she could have sworn that she heard the rib cracking- and the other went towards a now prepared Ayato.

Sasaki's kagune seemed to be everywhere, within the ground and the walls and in the air. Reina rushed forward, no longer caring, if je was this strong, then even a good strike of Koujirou's wouldn't kill him, and the kind man that she'd met beside Mado would probably want himself to be stopped as soon as he could be.

Both men noticed her springing forward, Black Rabbit growled, and the other ghoul –apparently Kaneki- viciously retracted his tentacles and ran for her, Reina realized too late that he was enclosing on her, yet she was already in midair, she wouldn't be able to cut off all of the tentacles.

She had to choose a side.

To the left, she saw a coal black mass drawing close.

Why she trusted him to do something? Reina would never know.

She raised the axe and severed all three tentacles on the half Ghoul's left side.

A choked laugh escaped Sasaki's body as the tentacles to the right enveloped her body and he opened his mouth up wide, ready to sink his teeth into her arm.

Then everything was gone, Sasaki/Kaneki, the Rinkaku, even Koujirou dropped from her hand at some point, as she crashed into the floor with the partially severed tentacles, and regarded the black clad figure that had taken her place in front of the half-ghoul, her place inside his mouth.

Ayato's shoulder was bleeding under the teeth that had latched onto it and the kagune that covered his opposite arm had begun to chip off as the blunted ends of Sasaki's kagune attacked it with remarkable force.

The left wing was free however, free and poised to strike at the back of the distracted half-ghoul's neck. Ayato was clearly going to behead him.

She got up and ran.

_No use, I'm not going to make it, is that-_

Before the thought had had rime to truly run through her mind, she had already picked up and thrown the thing with as much strength as her body could allow.

It was enough, the thinning wing was severed.

For some reason she felt like if she could see Ayato's face then, it would have had betrayal written all over.

Reina didn't stop running, not even when the two new tentacles burst from a place eleven lower in the silver haired man's back, not even when she pushed Ayato out of the way, wrapped her arms around Kaneki and knocked him over with her weight.

She only did stop running when the two tentacles pierced her flesh, one through her arm and one through her side.

"Haise, Haise, Haise, that's you, remember, get a hold of yourself" And then she started talking as a blur of indistinguishable shapes burst into the room. Ayato left, she felt him leave, after all by that point, she could barely see, her words seemed to be calming the ghoul beneath her, and he thrashed less and less each time "Come back. Haise. Haise"

Then one of the blurry figures lifted something, and Haise stilled completely.

Everything then went black.

.

.

Two days later she woke up in the hospital, investigators had sturdy bodies, thankfully, but the tentacle that had pierced her side had been just left of killing her.

She was standing by the window when the doctor came into the room, the man had almost had a heart attack when he'd seen her standing.

Apparently, there still was one surgery and at least seven days of observation before she was allowed to go back to her house.

She knew she could make that five.

Outside of her window, dawn came with its purple blue light and golden hues.

Blue blurs haunted Reina wherever she went.

.

.

Her first visitor, surprisingly, was Akira Mado –the looks in the nurse's faces told her that it wasn't for lack of trying on their part- the older woman had brought her candy –smart woman- and she herself was sporting a heavy cast around her right left.

After a few minutes of very awkward small talk, that appeared to make her side throb worse Reina broke "Just say it, Mado"

The blonde stiffened "It's Mado-san." And then she smiled slightly, although the expression was short lived "There is a lot that I have to talk with you about, Akagi-san" she seemed delighted to mortify her with her last name at least "You already knew about Sasaki's condition, so aside from that, I'm informing you that you are being appointed as a rank 3 investigator"

"What the- No! I've not even finished the academy." She said, enraged.

"You have been given an early graduation" Akira sighed "It's quite an honor, though by your reaction I'm guessing it's not what you want"

It's what her mother always wanted for her, Reina thought, but she doesn't say so "Whatever, what else?"

"Well, for obvious reasons, you will still be part of the Mado squad. There is talk of giving you the sweet olive award. And apparently we were not able to recover your Quinque from the Aogiri base"

"You lost my Koujirou" her irritation rose once again "Fuck" she grasped the sheets, digging he nails into them. "When do we go down to get me a new one?"

It hurt, terribly, it had been her first big kill, but she had to move on, she guessed.

"We go to retrieve it" the other woman smiled "The ghoul you slayed together with Sasaki, he had a Koukaku as well, and it's being manufactured as we speak, I trust that's fine with you?"

Her eyes had probably sparkled at that, Koujirou had been an A-rank, and there was no way lancer was lower than an S "More than fine" she said, almost excited.

The exasperated expression in her superior's face made it all the sweeter. "There are still, three more things I need to talk to you about. For one, director Washuu wants to reconsider your admission into the Quinx program-"

Reina's gaze darkened "You know that's not in my hands, I was willing to participate the first time around-"Akira held up a hand, the sense of foreboding that overwhelmed Reina in that instant was enormous.

"And that is the other thing, I'm telling you this not as your superior but as someone who respects you" she took a deep breath "Special Class Akagi is coming in for the mission's award ceremony, director Washuu plans to try and convince her there"

 _Nononononononono h_ er heart hammered in her chest and anger ran through her veins, anger and hate and excitement. He dark haired woman took a deep breath and despite the shaking of her hands, tried to seem calm on the outside "She won't allow it, she values her precious bloodline too much and she…" Reina paused for a moment before deciding that it did not matter "She can't have any more children, and my brother is not investigator material." That was probably the only reason for Reina remaining alive for so long.

"We just need her to not oppose so blatantly" Akira said "So long as she doesn't we could just do it and declare you independent on account of your achievements."

Reina looked up, breathing deep and long, humming appreciatively "That could work" tired of the topic, she sighed "When is this thing being held anyway? How did the damned mission even end?"

"The ceremony is in two months, but Akagi-san will be here by next month. The mission…"Akira regarded her with eyes that were too exhausted, too jaded to try and sweeten the truth "Complete failure, both Black Rabbit and the other SS ghoul in the facilities escaped, though there were significant losses to the other side" with this the older woman shot her an appreciative glance "Apparently Yotsume wasn't even in the building." It was weird, wanting to comfort someone whose authority you had been resisting and mocking for a while "Suzuya's squad is ok, you can imagine how Haise is and-"

"Wait, wait, if Yotsume wasn't there then who was the female executive in that building? We were completely sure of her presence, and you…" she stared wordlessly at Akira's leg.

"The One Eyed King" Akira looked away "We were all ordered to retreat, the ones still alive at least" silent tears slid down the woman's face "Special class Muroi and associate special class Hazuki stayed behind"

It was futile to ask if they were alive, Reina wasn't naïve.

She said nothing, her own troubles were weighing on her terribly and Reina had no idea how to comfort people anyway.

Five minutes later Akira looked like new, not a trace of her tears remained on her face. When she spoke, the business like tone was gone from her voice "I-Lastly, Haise asked me to tell you that he is sorry, I told him to come himself but he wouldn't hear of it"

"Force him, next time you see him" Reina said sincerely "It wasn't his fault, I'm not mad."

Mado smiled "I know, I'll take my leave Akagi-san"

"Sure  _Akira"_ Reina smiled when the older woman stiffened.

When she was at the door the blonde turned around just a bit. "Good Job"

.

.

The blue blurs were constantly outside of her window, after the operation, when she was on so many painkillers that she couldn't tell a sword from a scythe she even saw them in her room.

.

.

By the last day of her hospital stay she'd had many more visitors, some nice, some awful.

The nice ones came bearing candy and books and cigarettes.

The nasty ones news of promotions and Akagi Yoshino's desire to meet her.

Kami, Shiina, Fumiko, Kuroiwa, Matsubara, some other classmates, even Suzuya and his squad had shown up carrying a ridiculous amount of candy bars, someone had to have tipped them off regarding her distaste for flowers.

There was only one person who knew and he never visited.

The deep wound in her side barely ached now, it had closed nicely and the doctors sent her off with a huge jar of the treatment that prevented scarring.

Down in the hospital's hall finally he had appeared, carrying yet another candy box with such an apologetic expression in his face that it almost made her want to choke him.

"Haise" she said, not knowing what else .would be appropriate.

' _I'm not mad that your ghoul alter ego almost killed me'? Gah, can't we just forget it?_

He walked towards her, then stopped two steps away and bed so low and so stiffly that people started to stare "I'm sorry, so sorry, I know you probably hate me now-"

Exasperation was not a good emotion on her, a flushing Reina grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and –grabbing his tie for more leverage- dragged the silver haired man outside.

"It wasn't your fault. I already knew about it, so please, quit feeling guilty and moping around"

And there must have been something in her words that triggered some deeply repressed recess in Haise's mind, because the tears that ran down his face spoke of so much more than the ongoing situation, and in a second Reina found herself enveloped in a warm hug.

Akagi Reina wasn't a hug person, so when she raised her hands to the back of his shirt –which was thankfully, easy as they were about the same height- it was stiff and awkward and her side still hurt, but he let it be for him.

.

.

Sasaki insisted in walking her to the station when she saw it, the blue blur that disappeared and reappeared as they walked, he was in the streets along with them, Reina could feel him, but why was he there, why had he lurked by the hospital for so long? Surely he was enraged, did he want to fight again, or was it something else?

Reina knew that  _she_  had been concerned.

But now was not the time, more than ever she had to make him go away.  _She_ was coming, and that could spell his death, that would spell his death, it had spelled Shuu's and yes, that had been different, but regardless, Akagi Yoshino hadn't had any qualms in ordering an innocent human assassinated for her pride and she killed Ghouls for a living.

Sasaki was still shaky and apologized again as he saw her off, even offering to go with her, and then Reina saw the blue blur, and gently dismissed the silver haired man with sweet words and a kiss on the cheek.

Then she entered the packed subway.

Ten minutes later a tall, hard body was pressed up against her back.

And arms were around her waist, she felt the possessive growl rumble in his chest before she heard it come out of his mouth.

They couldn't talk in the subway, clearly, so Reina decided that if she was going to do this she deserved a moment of weakness, and she leaned into the warmth, and the hands and let herself rest against him.

Once they reached the station, looking away, she grasped his sleeve and wordlessly led him to her apartment

.

.

She felt like Orpheus when, after climbing the inside stairs, just before unlocking the door, she turned to look at him.

Their eyes locked.

"You're a fool" was all that came out of his mouth before it ended up pressed to hers.

He pinned her hands to the wall beside the doorframe and started to nibble at the skin of her neck, running his free hand along her uninjured side.

Between kisses, their eyes found each other, she wondered if the downstairs neighbors would come up if they just had sex right there without bothering to go into the apartment.

Probably.

Fuck.

"…stop for a bit" she strained against his hold to no avail, the possessive kisses got harsher and one of his hands had snaked below her sweater.

She had half a mind to just let him keep at it – and the aroused, wide eyed look that she'd gotten when he realized, that yes, she wasn't wearing a bra, though that had been very obvious from the start- but that was the last time, she was going to do it right, so she tried the last resource "Ayato"

He drew away panting and just looked at her, Reina took the opportunity to slip her keys out from the back and open the door swiftly "That  _is_  your name, is it not?" she said leaning on the open door.

Raw hunger filled his eyes.

"Yes"

And then he was kissing her again and she was just as into it this time, someone kicked the door closed and they fell to the carpet, all but ripping each other's clothes off.

Reina ran her fingers down his bare torso, caressing, memorizing, his taut muscles tanned skin. Ayato moaned when she pressed her fingers to the spot between his shoulder blades where his kakuhou laid buried.

And she understood, she wanted to eat him up completely too.

This man had become an addiction of hers, in every sense, she could no longer deny it, and even if she had to let him go it would never change what had been true.

Her thighs and underwear came off last, he pulled them off her legs with something almost akin to reverence.

Compared to the times before, he was less rough, though just as passionate, his fingertips grazed her skin softly ripping shivers and moans from her mouth.

Ayato's fingers brushed over her wound softly.

_Oh, it's the injury…_

She wanted to tell him to quit babying her, she would've, and in any other situation "Come here" her hoarse voice escaped her before she had time to stop it.

And when his whole body pressed against hers and their eyes locked, she just let the odd, almost painful gentleness be.


	9. Calm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ehh, my real life attacked again, but look, it's another monster chapter, lovely, really.
> 
> Also, I just broke with this week's chapter, just died ok.
> 
> And this is all The Strokes' fault.

**Calm**

Stark contrasts were a part of his life, his reality, such things came with the dichotomy of being a creature that was both persecuted and feared and yet looking like an average youth.

As such, in the following weeks that followed his stay at Reina's apartment, Ayato found himself craving the exhausted sleep that came from overworking himself, as much as he has hated it before. It unfailingly delivered dreams of stark blackness where a second could be ten hours or the other way around, it delivered peace of mind and an absence of  _her_  that allowed him to push the thoughts of that woman further away each time.

Of course, even Eto didn't have him working restlessly for more than a few days at a time- also, the woman had a new pet whom she was 'training' and she seemed displeased when there was no one in the base to listen to the man's screams- and so after a couple restful nights, the soothing nothingness disappeared.

And then the dreams came.

Rationally, he told himself that it was only an attack of his too often repressed libido, though the fact that it had chosen to exclusively fixate itself with the most illogical- and dangerous- target unsettled him.

Being the way it was, however, he kept himself out of the first four wards as much as he could.

It was a good day when Eto gave him and Hinami new missions, rather far away from Reina's usual hangouts.

And then of course, all of it went to hell.

Information wasn't cheap, but Aogiri didn't lack the funds.

The red haired woman leaned over the bar, pressing her breasts to the polished wood quite purposefully. Ayato stared at her with disinterest, yes, she was beautiful, but even if he hadn't know who exactly she closely associated with, something about the Helter Skelter's owner would have bugged him.

"Ayato-kun" her smile widened as she reached for him to lay a peck on his cheek "I was starting to wonder when you were going to drop by"

The bar itself was dank and empty, as it was usual for a Wednesday morning, all of the windows that gave a view of the street were closed, but the bright light that seeped through a large opening on the ceiling more than made up for that.

"So you know why I'm here?" She smiled, and nodded slowly.

That made things easier. "Why yes, there was quite a ruckus around this area a few days ago, and that probably has the big boss annoyed" the expression in the older woman's face spoke of amusement, though, it was not something he was used to see when people talked of displeasing Aogiri's leader "After all, none of her little spies picked up on them until after their back up had arrived"

"And I'm guessing you did" he said dryly.

Itori blinked innocently "Why would you think of that Ayato-san? I'm just a barkeep after all."

Not bothering with the snide remark that fought to make its way out of his mouth, he slid an envelope towards her. The red-headed woman peeked inside, her eyes cold and calculating, then she laughed.

"Fancy a glass of wine? Maybe I do remember a few things." She turned around, swaying her hips, and brought out a bottle.

"Fine" Ayato watched carefully as she pouted the liquid in two glass flutes, it never hurt to be too careful, as she rounded the bar to sit in front of him, he studied her movements. Itori had a natural air of confidence, of someone who was beautiful and knew it, sort of reminded him of Reina, except with her it was more nonchalance than self-ado- Fuck. He raised his eyes to the barkeep's "Speak"

"Oh, it's just a few tidbits, really." She sipped at the wine happily "Their fakes were  _very_  well made, I only noticed because the blonde one looked really uncomfortable handling it, and she was clearly the oldest, old enough to not need a fake" Itori paused, a thoughtful expression adorning her face "The other one was used to it, and that's funny because I'd be willing to bet that she is a minor." This piqued his attention, Investigators under twenty weren't  _that_  common "Anyway, they were clearly looking for someone, and they left as soon as they realized this wasn't their place. A friend of mine tells me that afterwards they split up, until they found Azusa of course, and they had someone with them. He also tells me that they may have overheard some important things about Aogiri from Ebisu and Asuza."

"Nothing else?" he frowned, that wasn't much to go on "Do you remember the fake names?" If Ghoul's tended to cling to at least parts of their names, the same tended to be true for humans, especially for the invariably proud investigators.

The bottles glimmered like jewels behind the redhead, Ayato suddenly wanted her to hurry up more than he'd ever wanted anything else.

"Well, they were really badly picked if you ask me, let me see… The blonde was Kirishiki…" Ayato sipped at his wine "…Akira! That was it, and I'm pretty sure that the other's last name was Yagiri but I can't remember the name… her hair was black" the older woman bit her lip, and Ayato froze, black haired and possibly under twenty "It was an odd name too… Reiko?"

_Fucking hell, why does-_

"Ah I remember now" she grinned and a shiver went down his spine "It was Reina, and I'm pretty sure that friend of mine also told me that her Quinque was an axe"

"Thank you" he set his glass down on the table with slightly more force than necessary, and stood up, grabbing his cape from the chair's back, as he was about to make his way towards the door however, something stopped him.

A slight downwards tilt of the corners of her mouth maybe, or the disappointment that somehow showed through the woman's cheery façade. "You know something else don't you?"

"Oh it's just my silly speculations Ayato-kun, don't mind them" Groaning, he turned until he was fully facing her, and handed her another envelope. Itori didn't even look inside that time.

"Everything you know" he bit out, Ayato was sure that his face then could have sent a few seasoned investigators running, but she just pursed her lips.

"Well, for one, the third partner smelt quite peculiar, you see. I caught it on them and then my contact confirmed it, he smelt rather like an old acquaintance of ours Ayato-kun. Rather like Ken Kaneki" The bastard lived? Well, it was not that surprising, but still –some far off corner of his mind remembered his stupid sister's sad eyes, those were more thoughts to shove into the cage, at the pace he was going, he'd need one that was bigger- if it was even him, it meant that CCG had just sunk to a new low. "Apparently he looked similar to Kaneki-kun too"

"The bastard was ever so resilient huh?" He stared at her "What else?" Itori crossed her fingers in front of her chin and stared right back.

"Well, this  _is_  a conjecture of ours." Ayato tapped his fingers on the bar "The brunette one, looked an awful lot like the woman that commanded the operation to wipe the third clean ten years ago. If I'm not wrong, her name was Akagi Yoshino."

Ayato raised an unimpressed eyebrow at her, though again, that time, there was a bit of a mess inside his head "Is that all?"

The woman nodded, seemingly unfounded satisfaction bloomed in her face "Yes Ayato-kun, that's all"

"Very well, I trust you'll cooperate with our plans for the ward?" he ground out, folding the cloak over his arm as he took heed of the bright sun outside.

"Of course" he turned around and walked towards the door "And Ayato-kun, do be careful where you step. You may still be clear, but one can get soaked with just one small moment of distraction."

Ayato stared at the street, drenched in bright sunlight, and decided not to try and figure out whatever the hell the Clown woman meant.

.

.

And weeks passed, he knew just who it had been, but it wasn't like the others didn't and from what he knew neither Akira Mado nor Reina had been anywhere within easy reach in that slow month.

Until they got tipped off.

The news came late however, CCG was already all but surrounding them.

Ayato put on his mask and would have pleaded for something if he had known what he wanted.

He both wanted for her to be the furthest away that the attack allowed, and ached to fight the woman –something primal and rough snarled within him when he thought of Reina becoming another's prey-, and yet didn't even know how that would turn out.

Ayato wanted her to not be there at all.

And yet, something in his gut told him that she would be

A huge hand clamped over his shoulder, Sachi's steady gaze met his just moments later. Ayato walked towards the front of the group with his once upon a time mentor.

He didn't quite know what to expect.

.

.

_Mine_

He snarled mentally as the foreigner that Aogiri had welcomed within their ranks the previous month engaged in battle with Reina and the man that Ayato was now sure, was some sort of incarnation of Ken Kaneki's –his apparent closeness with Reina only made Ayato want to rip the half Ghoul's head off for good even more-.

A whip-like Quinque nearly beheaded him and reminded him of the man he was facing off against.

He was good, too good almost, the badges that were barely visible beneath the CCG vest ranked him at least Associate special class.

Ayato leaped forward, relentlessly, but he had a double Quinque that worked well for defense against his Ukaku, and when the thick whip all but sawed off his arm, mangling it from elbow to wrist in the process anyway, he figured he had to take him seriously.

He looked to the side, at the half-destroyed limb, he couldn't move it anymore, it'd drag him down, make him lose speed. It was a moment's decision, it only took breaking the bone, and the ripped tendons were barely even there at that point.

The pain started clouding his vision as the man's shape came closer and closer, his mouth was moving, somewhat, but the pain and the maelstrom of clashes and screams he couldn't bring his brain to process either the movement of his lips or the muted sounds that barely reached his ears.

So he said what he always did, he would have been right in eighty percent of the cases even not hearing his opponents words anyways.

"Actually… my specialty is close combat"

And his wings sprouted once again, one covering his arm and hand, the other back, ready to defend.

The sweet taste of blood filled his mouth soon after, and Ayato let the animalistic urge overtake him, as, careful to keep his face obscured he indulged himself in a much needed banquet, he felt the power, the raw flesh at the stump where his arm had been tangled and heated and ached, then took shape anew and he decided that his short forages into cannibalism had been worth it if he could recover a limb by doing a thing as easy as eating unrestrainedly.

At the pinnacle of euphoria, however, a sharp pain pierced through his back, and he knew that kagune, he _knew_  it.

As he was pulled back, Ayato slipped the mask back over his face, just in time to have one of his wings cover it when one of Kaneki's tentacles tried to pierce right through his head.

The deranged creature seemed to grow tired of trying quickly, as he slammed Ayato into the nearest wall like he was throwing a ravioli away.

That was when he noticed her standing almost in front of him with half of a tentacle in her stomach and a determined face, but the creature was already running towards him with inhuman speed, spouting garbled nonsense and Ayato scrambled to his feet, only to find her slamming into the half ghoul with all of the weight of her thin body, and tearing through his tendons to immobilize him

"Fuck, Sasaki get a hold on yourself" Her voice, while rough, sounded like a plea to –Sasaki, apparently- and he  _hated_  it.

It was irrational, crude and utterly childish, but he walked towards them and the words were out of his mouth before he so much as had the time to think about the fact that the creature was stilling in her arms "Fucking Kaneki, you can't help but live in fantasies, can you?"

Ayato was prepared for the rampage and the blow that almost got him seconds later anyway, but she wasn't, her body slammed hard into the wall.

The blue haired ghoul pressed his irrational concern down and focused on dodging the seemingly never ending kagune of –KanekiSasaki, whoever the fuck he was- getting a few good hits on him with his shards, but unable to come to close.

Suddenly, then the half Ghoul turned and leaped to the side. Reina was charging towards them, Quinque in hand, and all of the thing's attention was on her, its six tentacles stretched to the front and the sides, forming a sort of cage that she would promptly fall into.

Ayato dashed forward, caught her gaze for only a second, and somehow she understood, the three tentacles on his side got chopped off by her Quinque quickly enough.

The other three however, took a hold of her, squeezing tightly as teeth poised over her bare shoulder to bite down.

Anger filled his head, he lunged forward, taking advantage of the other's momentary distraction to saw off the three remaining tentacles with his sword and realized too late- only when the fangs sunk in- that he had taken her place in the half Ghoul's grasp.

Good, he had Kaneki.

She crashed on the floor, somewhere to his side, but he was too preoccupied carefully extending his left wing so the beheading of the half ghoul would be quick, clean.

Though he shouldn't have, apparently, because he found something severing his wing just seconds later, her Quinque, to be exact –how Reina had managed to throw something like that with such strength, bugged him for a moment-. And the next thing that he knew in his astonishment was that she had knocked the white-haired investigator away from Ayato.

With something akin to horror twisting in his gut, Ayato watched the two tentacles still connected to Kaneki's back bury themselves deep in her flesh, and the blood pouring out of them, unrestrained by even the kagune that still had not retracted.

She whispered something into the man's ear –again, something inside him told Ayato to rip them apart, to drag her away, to…- as the doors to the room were kicked in, and about ten people burst in, all with their Quinque in hand.

A heavily injured Naki stood to his side, and he could no longer feel Sachi close by.

The first RC suppressant shot grazed him, he grabbed the blonde Ghoul by the arm, and hating himself a little, Ayato jumped through the window.

.

.

He called the guilt that overcame him later misdirected.

Why was he to care for a dove? There was no reason, no point, despite anything that had occurred, they were enemies, bitter even.

Ayato punched the wall of the training room and bit the inside of his cheek so hard that it bled.

.

.

Hinami's wide, guilty, concerned eyes watched the blue haired ghoul across the room.

A human's smell was rarely something distinctive.

But she could tell, oh she had been able to tell.

Silently, she promised him, and herself that she would remain very, very quiet, and by his side. She just hoped that whoever the blue-haired ghoul was playing such a game with would be allowed some mercy.

_You truly are clueless Ayato-kun_

.

.

_Déjà vu_

Two days later he sat in a nook between two buildings close to the hospital.

He'd found the place as soon as he had been able to get out of the base without it being too suspicious, though Eto was almost delighted with him, both for the information on Sasaki that he had been able to give her and for the fact that he had managed to regrow a limb almost instantly.

Ayato shuddered as he remembered the mischievous look in her eyes, whatever the Owl was planning for him had nothing he'd like to it, he was sure.

Something moved inside the room, and he was jolted out of his stupor, in the distance, her pale figure could be made out next to the flower vase that adorned the window.

They were white lilies.

_Somehow,_ he thought,  _those don't fit her._

_._

_._

They rushed her out of the room with the languid lilies by the window.

Hours and hours passed and she didn't come out through the doors, any of the doors.

About ten hours later, in the dead of night he went back to his usual spot to find that they'd put her back where he'd last seen her, , though there was a stillness to her body that spoke of something far more grave.

Humans broke too easily.

The window was open, and he found himself standing over her half delirious body.

Ayato didn't dare touch her, lest she woke up or he did something even more stupid.  
.

.  
One day she was gone when he woke up, once again exhausted from Eto's missions and the training that she insisted in giving him –and he took it, because he hadn't been strong enough that day and didn't want to end up gurgling in pain like her new pet- gone but he remained calm, surveying the entrances, to the hospital, careful not to draw the guard's attention to himself. She had seemed well enough the day before.

And she was, Ayato saw her with her hands stiffly wrapped around the torso of some white-haired man.

He laid in wait.

The two investigators walked towards the train station, the blue haired ghoul made sure to stay out of his sight and slightly in hers.

Reina noticed, of course she did.

An unsettling satisfaction had made his stomach home by the time that she had dismissed Sasaki with his meaningless apologies and good wishes and gotten into the train.

Inside, in the tangle of bodies and smells, it took him some time to find her, Ayato was almost certain that she knew, that she was waiting, and for a moment, he had just about no idea of what to do, then, there, he hadn't thought far past the getting on the train part.

So he didn't think when her back came into view, his hands found themselves snaking around her waist, and any uncertainty as to her willingness was obliterated when her body relaxed against his.

She smelt of hospital antiseptic and coffee, and slightly like blood.

Even if he had known what to say, what to do, he was frozen in place.

The train ride wasn't all that long, when it stopped where she was supposed to get off, he felt a frail hand grip on to his sleeve, and the dark haired woman proceeded to lead him out of the compartment with surprising strength behind her small grip-only it wasn't all that surprising, not to Ayato, not really-.

Reina didn't look back at him even once in all of the way, she smoked, hummed and glared at nothing in random intervals, and he would've thought that she was ignoring him if not for her hand on his arm.

Somehow he got the feeling that something was very, very wrong.

When she dragged him into her building through the front door, Ayato almost raised his guard, but if that woman had planned an ambush where she would very surely be forced to stand back, then Ayato was a mermaid.

The three flights of quaint stairs that smelt a little mossy were spent in silence too.

And then she turned around.

Hospital stays were supposed to leave one looking like a fresh cadaver, Reina still had her usual eye bags, but aside from that she did not seem any different –any less attractive, a voice crooned inside his head- she did not look like she had been about to die about a week before.

He just stared at her for a few seconds "You're a fool" and then, they both moved at the same time, he was certain, because their mouths met halfway through the reduced space that had been separating them and he groaned against her soft skin as his fingers caught her wrists and he backed her up into the wall.

The thing that had been pestering Ayato for the previous month purred contentedly in his chest.

Their eyes met, and he saw it, a strange kind of desperation that wasn't her usual, almost obscured by what he could have sworn was unsurmountable want.

A shiver raked up his spine and he felt himself losing whatever rationality he had left as he traced the contours of her neck insistently.

And then, within the heated trance he heard her "Ayato" Her voice was heavy with excitement and lust, the shock of hearing his given name however, was enough to make Ayato reel back, letting go of her wrists.

Reina wasted no time in fishing for her keys somewhere in her back pockets and opening the door, she then turned around, leaning on it as her hips jutted to the side seductively "That  _is_ your name, isn't it?"

The blue haired man felt his insides warm up "Yes"

The door was clicking shut under the heel of his boot before he knew it and his suddenly bare forearms met the floor by her head.

Reina's fingers trailed up his stomach and chest before settling high on his back and pressing firmly to the spot where his kakuhou was. The pleasure that coursed through his body made him grind down between her spread thighs and the sigh that ripped from her lips had him doing it harder, caressing her sides and her chest, mindful of the scar on her side that even in the semi-darkness, was too pink to be fully healed.

And then Ayato couldn't wait anymore, he let his body fall to the side –earning himself a lustful whine- and hooked his fingers under the waistband of her tights and panties.

The fabric slid down with a soft rustling sound, leaving her bare, he himself was already in his boxers and those flew away soon enough with her hoarse voice "Come here" She said, and the picture it made-flushed cheeks and spread legs and black hair fanned all over the floor- washed over any restraint he may have had.

In a second he was pressed flush against her, with her teeth biting softly at his shoulder and her hands pressing that spot on his back.

His last thought that wasn't completely about the moment was that whatever the thing they were doing was, it had been unavoidable from the very beginning.

.

.

When he woke up she was peering at him curiously from the side of a book, her room was dark and there was not a hint of dawn in the horizon.

"I thought you'd sleep through the night" she said softly.

Ayato propped himself up on his elbow, feeing unguarded, though strangely comfortable and tired enough not to really care. He wanted to go back to sleep "What time is it?"

"About two, I think, I started reading at eleven so…" Her eyes drifted back to the book, Ayato caught the title at the top of the page

_Dance,dance,dance._

"Do you have something against sleeping?" He said, Reina glanced at him.

Well they had drifted off at nine "Sometimes, but I'd rather read" curiosity shone in her eyes "Do you ever?"

"Read?" he was used to her random bouts of questioning already "Not much, I don't get what you people see in novels"

Reina smiled "Have some book types around, I see."

"Tch, what would you know about that?" Alarms turned on in his mind though it was unlikely it was anything but simple speculation, how'd she guess about Hinami?

"Just an observation" she said, giggling "Though it seems like I'm right, anyway, I guess I get it. I couldn't live without them though"

"Fair enough" Ayato said, and then did something completely impulsive "Why?"

"I'm an escapist" she explained, laying her book down "I get immersed in them, and I like it way too much"

"So you pretend that you're one of the characters"

She looked mildly uncomfortable "In some of them, I don't fancy being a thirty four year old salaryman. It's more about feeling like I'm watching it all unfold"

"Figures, it fits. Though I don't get it" He said stubbornly, though he did, a little.

She laughed shifting to her side "No, you're not the type. And I get how they can be boring really." Reina cast a hateful glance at the corner of the room, Ayato followed it to find that it was the same book on countermeasures in the exact same state of partial unwrapping that he'd seen it in before.

"You really don't like all of the Dove business huh?" Completely against his will, the blue-haired Ghoul felt a smirk togging at the corners of his mouth.

She looked at him, thoughtful "Not really, it has some awful parts" Her pink tongue darted out to lick at her bottom lip and despite being exhausted, Ayato felt a warm flash go through his body "The bureaucracy and the self-righteous idiots for one, but I like the fighting"

He grunted "Obviously" resigned, he let a small smile peek through, she seemed to ignore it though "I don't think there's anyone who likes the bureaucratic shit"

"Some people could have fooled me" Reina laid back and fixated her eyes on the ceiling "I don't imagine it gets any less frustrating on the Ghoul side?"

Ayato snorted, noticing the wat the light from the reading lamp played over her bare skin "Less paperwork, aside from that, I don't think so"

Surprise washed over her face and then the woman laughed "Well, that's already an improvement"

They lapsed into silence for a second, she didn't turn to look at him, and Ayato felt that at the point that they had reached with that madness, he was allowed not to feel conflicted to stare at her unabashedly.

She probably knew that he was doing so too, or maybe she was tuning him out, like she seemed to do with just about everything.

The hospital smell had completely disappeared by that point, in fact all that clung to her skin were the slight tang of blood that he had learned, never left her, a slight hint of perfume and a note of something very familiar that he couldn't tie to her very much.

After some silent contemplation, he realized that Reina smelled like him, that was the little unknown clinging to his skin.

Mentally, he berated himself for the surge of desire that ran up his spine, the way that the bites he'd left on her neck earlier stood in stark contrast to her skin did not help.

Ayato groaned and mimicked her position, turning so he was facing the ceiling and proceeded to blurt out the first, most random thing that he could which didn't sound totally stupid.

"If you hate it so much why don't you quit?"

Reina sighed, not taking her eyes from the ceiling "Habit, probably, I don't know how to do anything else either, I was raised to be what I am"

"They're training you from the cradle now?" He asked dryly, mostly jokingly, though there was some hint of seriousness.

"No" Her hands fisted the sheets "But I come from a family that does, I'm supposed to continue Yoshin- my mother's lineage. I never had a say in it"

The name of her mother had dripped with poison when she said it, he figured it was safe enough to ask "Akagi… Yoshino" Reina stiffened "It's that big-shot isn't it?"

Reina nodded, bringing her arms up over her head "The legend herself" she said, bitterness coating each syllable. "And she'll be back soon enough"

Ayato craned his neck towards her at this, but she'd covered her eyes with her forearms. "You could leave, it can't be that hard, being a human" He himself was trapped, Ayato mused, getting out of Japan for a Ghoul required connections, every airport had RC cell gates and traveling by ship, someone was bound to notice if one took one of the few unwatched routes. Even then, barely any Ghouls had legal papers anyway, birth certificates had to be forged, and a single blood test at a human hospital and CCG was kicking down the door.

Reina somehow looked depressed, even if he couldn't see her face "If it was that easy… the one time I did, she chased me to the deepest gutter and dragged me back"

"Disgrace her then, make her disown you" He said offhandedly.

She laughed, somewhat sardonically "At this point, short of murdering chief Washuu, there's little I can do. She's fixated on her perfect heir and I'm her only chance" Finally moving her arms, she looked at him again.

Anger rose up his throat, it was unjustified of course, though maybe he needed to stop being surprised at the spectrum of emotions that woman could elicit in him.

"So you're just going to lay down and let her mold you" he grit out, sounding more disgusted than he actually felt.

"Probably, unless she dies, or I do" Her body relaxed, like she'd found the answer to some cosmic puzzle.

"Is that your reason?" He asked, groaning and suppressing the stupid concern.

"For what?"

Ayato took a deep breath before he spoke. "Wanting to die so badly"

"Not really, if anything, being moved around is what maintains me" she smiled sadly "It's like I told you, I don't really have anything to live for anymore"

"It doesn't seem like that."

I didn't expect you to give me the speech on how much I have" Ha, as if he ever would have, it wasn't like him and Ayato himself didn't really believe in living for the sake of other people's feelings

"I meant how you try to fight"

She turned onto her side and their eyes met, Reina unwaveringly held his gaze"

"Oh" she paused "I feel pathetic if I don't, I suppose that in a way I just want to forget about even myself, not die, not really but dying seems like the closest I'll get. And I am also pretty self-destructive, that much I know"

_How do you think we ended up here?_ Hung in the air, she didn't need to say it out loud.

"Well, I need to feel alive somehow and I don't think I would if I stopped moving"

"Tch, and then you ask me why I don't understand humans" He let annoyance seep into his tone, it was better than pity –which she would've hated- or concern –which he would have never lived down.-

Reina seemed a bit exasperated "Then what about you? What keeps you moving?"

It wasn't like they had spoken much about boundaries, it wasn't like they had spoken much at all, but that much was putting himself in a far more vulnerable situation than he currently was in. Despite knowing well that while she didn't lack the smarts to do it, Reina wasn't the type to try to win with underhanded tactics or emotional low blows, he wasn't about to just open up about such things, no matter how comfortable he felt at the moment.

Ayato glanced at her "Do you really think I'd be careless enough to disclose those kinds of things to a Dove?" he said roughly

Still, she didn't seem bothered "Well I've yet to report your face, or report that you're protecting the other Rabbit" as soon as he registered the words Ayato froze, what the hell, and still she kept talking "It's as you said, In a way for me it's almost like a day jo-"

While it took him a while to process it, his reaction was quick, swift. Ayato wasn't much of a fan of straddling his opponents, but the motion felt like breathing when he lunged forward, intent on caging her body within his forearms and pinning her hips down with his.

Ayato, however was not accustomed to fighting within the confines of silk sheets and Reina's excessive amount of pillows, so as soon as his forearms settled beside her head and Reina flailed in surprise, he realized that he'd also managed to tangle his legs on the sheet that laid below them and the blankets.

She of course had to buck her hips as Ayato was trying to get one of his legs over her hip and send them crashing onto the floor, blanket, pillows and all.

Reina hung awkwardly off the bed in a sort of cocoon, staring at him unimpressed, as Ayato still tried to pry the knot of fabric that had somehow formed around his leg.

And then she burst out laughing, a deep, rich sound with no underlying meaning.

Whatever he knew be damned, he wanted to kiss her then.

It was another thing that he restrained himself from doing, it'd have been too emotional, he'd rationalize later.

Instead, Ayato laughed too, because it wasn't as if he really wanted to hurt her, not then, not really, and if he'd learned anything about Reina, it was that she wasn't the kind that broke under pressure, or at least, not violent pressure.

It took a while for the two to stop, it was awkward and quite a bit stupid, but it diffused the tension that had built up in the few seconds in which Ayato's preservation instinct had taken over-

Slowly, they went quiet, Reina was giving him a tender look from where she lad, wrapped in the sheets.

"I got assigned to write a report, just by looking at the patterns of the Kagune tracks you can notice that there is something wrong, even with the case of cannibalism, they were too erratic and the more I thought about it, the more sense it made" she said, painful sincerity ingrained in each word.

"And you didn't report it" Ayato hated how small his voice sounded, how he whispered. She had not known it, but she'd had her stupid Aneki's life in her hands and she hadn't turned her over "Why?"

"Didn't quite feel like it" Reina looked at him sadly, then her lips pulled up into a slight grimace that tried to be a smile "And also because I know what's being screwed over by some overly conscientious asshole" Her hand lifted to caress her collarbone, where Ayato had seen her engagement ring nestle not that long before.

The strange warmth that engulfed the Ghoul's chest was desire, desire because he couldn't be feeling thankful towards such a person just because of a passing flight of fancy. "You're an idiot."

"Perhaps" But she was grinning painfully. Maybe Ayato saw some sort of tear then, maybe, a crack in the porcelain that she covered herself in, but then she'd dried it, put plaster over it and brushed some hair out of her face. A stillness washed over him "So answer me" Reina turned her face away, towards the ceiling, and her voice was hoarse as she spoke "What keeps you moving, Ayato?"

Again, that blazing in his chest, whatever it was, Ayato breathed in deep, feeling the air expand in his lungs and settled down into the carpet, disbelieving of what he was about to do. "I want to become stronger, ambition I guess. So I don't have to run ever again"

"I see" her chest heaved "You have what I don't."

Ayato thought it over for a minute, it made sense, too much sense, he was fighting to be faster than the river's current that already carried him and she was just letting it take her wherever it was going, even if it was a waterfall, or a crocodile's mouth. "I guess. Even I don't know why I protect that idiot though"

"Probably because they are part of what you had to run from, what made you feel weak"

He grunted "The only part left, really" Was his sister all he wanted to keep, no, probably not, there were others, Hinami, in a way and loath as he had to admit it, Naki, and maybe, also Rei-

No, she was neither his to keep nor probably going to either live, or remain that alluring contradiction of a woman for much longer.

When he came back to the moment, she was watching him curiously "I guess they're safe for now then." Reina slipped one arm out of the sheets and reached across the couple of inches that separated them to bury itself in Ayato's hair. "You're overthinking" She proceeded to pull his face closer and kissed him deeply, slowly.

His hand found purchase of the sheets and ripped them off her, inadvertently tangling himself up more. By the time he finished getting them off his body, a warm body slid over him, Reina pressed herself against his body, sitting so she could hold his hips down.

Ayato raised his hands to her stomach, her breasts, softly caressing, earning himself small gasps and whimpers.

She pressed her face into his neck and bit down while he played with the curtain that her hair had made around his face.

There was a sort of quiet, of peace to the act, and it didn't take one bit of passion, of need out of it.

The warmth in his chest was desire.

_Desire_

.

.

The sun rose as they stood in the kitchen, mindlessly chattering about nothing as they sipped on identical coffee mugs and Reina stroked the little beast's fur.

Ayato decided that he'd reached a point where he would allow himself to do whatever without berating himself too much because of it. The world and his body seemed to have wills of his own, wills that given the chance, would push him onto Reina despite any qualms he might have. In the end, he figured that the whole affair would come to an end when it did.

And then it would probably explode in their faces.

Still, he couldn't bring himself to walk away from her until that happened, it was dumb and he feared for a second that he was becoming too much like Touka, but it was too comfortable and he didn't quite see an out to it.

His gaze drifted to her, Reina had picked up the phone the third time the call came, she wore, again, one of her random huge sweatshirts that fell off at the shoulder and thigh high wool socks that should have been far less arousing, if only for the pink cat pattern that she didn't seem to mind.

She was all prominent bones, and muscle, and supple skin.

It was odd, how of all investigators it had been her that he stumbled upon, probably one of the very few morally grey ones, one of the very few that were at least sort of willing to look past their noses, and yet weren't hopeless optimists trying to fix everything with smiles or flower crowns.

"Mhmm... no... Listen I have to tell you guys something... yes... no I'm not honey, do the others know... ok, don't tell them, I'll do it tonight... I can't believe I am about to do this...Hun, I have to drop of a report in the afternoon...Ugh Shiina...Ok, fine, at nine, but its group night, we'll go somewhere that has nothing to do with the academy and have fun... No, I'd rather not tell them while you and Hamazaki are making out, same for Asahi and Fumiko... Yay... Yeah, just let me jot down the address...I'm old fashioned, you know me" She leaned across the counter to grab a napkin and some random pencil, quickly, she wrote something down "Mhmm... it's in the ninth?...Ok, whatever you say...Yes, yes Shi, I'm going to get dressed now..."A long pause and then her face clouded "Yeah, I'll miss you guys too, but we'll meet eventually I guess... Yeah, that too... See you in a bit"

Reina turned towards him, a small smile etched in her face "So it seems I'm going to class"

He raised an eyebrow at her "So soon?"

"It's the last time"

"I thought you couldn't quit"

"I'm not" She looked out of the window, fiddling with the hem of her shirt "I got promoted"

"So now you're an actual Dove"

"Yeah, a Rank three" Her hand reached for the cupboard and pulled out a brand new cigarette box, expert hands ripped apart the cellophane and the plastic, she lit it with a match "Hey, I-"

Her face had gained some determination before she started talking, but that was gone as soon as it appeared, and the human woman went very still. "What?"

She looked away and leaned back on the counter, shivering when her bare forearms met the cold stone "Nothing... I'm just silly"

He smirked a little, still unsettled but determined to no overthink it "About time you realized"

That earned him a chuckle. "I'll go get dressed" But her smile was shaky at best, and he sort of wanted to take that from her, though how wasn't something he wanted to explore. Reina glided out of the kitchen, as he was left alone -well the beast was there too, glaring at him, but he refused to acknowledge it- more than a bit confused, not only in regards to her small outburst but in regards to what a mess he was slowly making of his life.

And how he wasn't all that fond of the idea of fixing it.

After a few minutes, however, he realized that she'd left the little napkin that she'd written on by the coffee machine.

Curious, he padded most silently over to it, even though the sound of the shower was clear in his ears.

It was a club that he knew well enough -he had to, he had extended protection over the thing not two months before- in fact, it catered to people with  _certain_  tastes, granted, it didn't surprise him very much, but it certainly was a strange place.

He did have business in the ninth.

Reina was out of the bathroom quick enough, he remembered washing her hair the previous night, probably because of that, he walked into her room to find her struggling to get the long sleeved shirt of her uniform over her head.

Without really thinking about it, he pulled the hem down, she glanced at him, but didn't say much.

She slipped into the grey blazer and some small heeled shoes, concealing two daggers at the side of her left thigh, her hair was up and away from her face and her eyes were dark rimmed with charcoal colored liner.

Ayato pulled her towards him as his mind clouded over a little and her pupils widened.

She snapped out of it quick enough though "I'm late already y'know?" Reina said, and quickly kissed him before grabbing her keys, as she walked towards the window, she seemed to hesitate for a second "I- Nothing, make sure to close the window if you go."

_If_

"Tch, whatever" As she disappeared down the fire escape, a very confused Ayato made for the kitchen, in search of both some coffee and some kind of clarity –The cat tried to attack as soon as he came in, but seemed to think better of it upon meeting the blue hared Ghoul's glare-.

.

.

Later on, when he was back at the base and in a fresh change of clothes, one of the underlings came with a message from Eto to quit ignoring his duties in the ninth.

If only the older Ghoul knew.

Ayato groaned and threw his head back, quickly deciding on going for a quick meal before he headed over to the clubs.

.

.

It was when he found himself standing over a mass of random strangers, most of them wearing rather minimalistic leather pieces, that he started thinking that maybe it was a very bad idea after all.

True, he was in his territory, and Reina and the other Doves would probably be mostly unarmed –well, Rei always had a knife hidden somewhere, but he didn't think the others would- but things could still quite go wrong- and he was very, very thankful that everybody had other business to attend to that night-.

He sat in the overseeing platform for a pretty long while, going down seemed like it'd be annoying even if –and he had been somewhat glad that Nico had once upon a time insisted on them- his skintight fighting clothes wouldn't draw much attention –in fact, he was sure, most of the strangers would find him modest-.

So far there was no sign of her.

The club was filled with black lights, the floor covered in silver glitter, on the far left side sat about ten VIP rooms, all of which were occupied.

_And if the city's going down in flames…_

It was eleven, and he heaved a relieved sigh, there was no way…

And then they walked out of one of the VIP room, the two women from the night when he'd first followed Reina and another –A redhead, pretty, average height- and at the back of the group,  _her._

_Then we're gonna go down, down, down…_

She wasn't the most demure of the group –that had to be the other brunette- nor the least –that was the little blonde- but she definitely didn't mind showing herself in what she was.

The boots that she wore were thigh high and has heels that could probably gouge out someone's eyes, after those came a strip of bare, pale skin, and then a very short black dress that ended wrapping snugly around her neck.

That much was alright, until she turned around and Ayato realized that the reason there was a high necked halter top at the front was that there was nearly nothing at the back, where the shimmery fabric fell so low that he could glimpse the little indentations at the base of her back.

She also had a small bag, but that didn't seem too important.

Intellectually, he knew that it wasn't the riskiest outfit in the place, and moreover, that the lustful glances that he saw pop up all over the place as the four women headed for the bar were not only for her but her three friends who weren't bad to look at either. But there was still a great feeling of unease and rage bubbling within his chest as he saw some man try to pull her into his arms.

When she shook his arm off, Ayato felt a strange satisfaction.

The other three women were quick to scatter into the dancefloor after getting themselves some drinks, Reina stayed, finishing something brown that probably smelt good to her, even if to Ayato it probably was disgusting.

He had been lounging by a bottle of Vodka for two hours, taking little drinks straight out of it each time he got too bored.

Two shots, he decided, enough for them all to be distracted enough, and he'd go down.

_Together…_

.

.

In the end he wound up taking three, and wouldn't have gotten off his chair if she hadn't finished the drink and begun dancing with some blonde man.

Reina danced like she fought, fluid movements, strange combinations, the lights had changed and she was dyed in red purple and blue, as he twirled her around, brought her to the floor and back up, running his fingertips over her bare back.

Ayato was not jealous, she was entitled to doing whatever the hell she pleased.

No, he was not jealous, maybe slightly buzzed.

He wasn't jealous, the guy had just pissed him off and when he found his hands closing up around her waist and dragging her away from the other and so close to his own body that they might as well have been stuck together, Ayato had managed to convince himself of it.

Reina's surprised face was dimmed by the clear state of intoxication that she was in, her cheeks were flushed and her pupils blown, there was a heaviness to her eyelids as well.

Her inquisitive gaze didn't last long, after a few months of randomly running into each other wherever they could, it had almost become normal to turn around and find him standing there "Hey" and she started dancing, sensuously swaying, and grinding against him.

Reina probably knew that he was partly in charge of the ninth anyway.

It probably wasn't surprising to anyone that Ayato had little experience with dancing, or most things related to nightclubs, he had after all only ever had a fake ID in case a random cop wanted to know why he wasn't in school. For a few seconds, he just stood awkwardly there, Reina was clearly tipsy and he wasn't about to leave her alone –even if she could take care of herself-.

Reina noticed this and a grin slowly crawled over her lips, Ayato felt her hands curl around his hips, and very gently start guiding him to follow her sways. He found it easy after a while, even taking the lead from her for time to time as Reina twirled or did one or another step that required the flexibility of someone trained to be all soft and limber since infancy.

No one around them was very concerned with technical perfection either way, in fact, as they remained embraced, swaying, dancing through songs and heavy beats, he found that the ambiance became heavier, darker, with an edge of lust that despite the rather eccentric dress code, hadn't been present until everyone in the place was past a certain point of intoxication.

They were dancing with her back to his chest, Reina arched back, pushing her neck onto his shoulder –that had been funny, finding that with her wearing heels they were almost the same height- , the waves of black hair spilled over his chest and Ayato leaned down as he kept her waist in place with his hands. She shivered when his breath brushed over the skin of her neck and Ayato bit down, softly, but enough to leave a dark mark there.

With a groan and a smile that was all teeth and predatory instinct she reached back and caught his head, crushing their lips together soon after.

Her warm mouth attacked his, almost all teeth, nipping at his bottom lip, groaning when he'd suck on her tongue. The bass dropped again, they were both covered in sweat and some glitter that had been thrown around a couple songs earlier.

Panting, she looked down and Ayato felt her hand grip his wrist before she started dragging him towards the bar.

He let himself move after her, in the mass of warm bodies that surrounded them.

Halfway there, however, they stumbled into a tall woman, clearly not very sober, holding a glass.

"Thought this was a girl's night" She said dryly, addressing Rei, then her eyes fell on Ayato "Well god, look better in real life"

"Doesn't he?" Reina drawled "Where are the others Kami?"

"With Hamazaki and Naoto" the other snorted "Like we'd let you have all the fun" She leaned in, leering at Ayato.

Reina tensed up "So where's Asahi then? I don't see him here"

"About to arrive. I'm Ishida. Well, Kami. Ishida Kami" She turned to Ayato "What's your name mystery man?" Kami said roughly "You know Rei here made  _such_  a fuss over that drawing, I thought you were some sort of gangster or something"

In his mind, Ayato laughed, glad for once that the complete absurdity of their situation served as a perfect cover, no one was ever likely to suspect anything so long as they were careful.

Outwardly, he smirked at the woman "Oh really?" it may have been out of character, but oh well, he was tipsy "I'm Akihito, by the way" It was the first name that didn't sound fake that come to his head.

"Ohh, very princely." She laughed "And yes she did, don't let the idiot's façade fool you, she's totally a Tsundere"

Reina was very pointedly looking the other way as she spoke "No, you're just a drunk Idiot. " I a very strange move on her part, Reina clung onto the fabric of his sleeve, putting on a very fake, whiny tone "C'mon Aki, I want a drink"

She was already dragging him again before she finished the phrase, though that didn't stop Kami from yelling at them "He's pretty, Reina, don't break the boy before we all get a chance to take a look"

Reina plopped down on the bar and her eyes met his as soon as he slid into the stool right beside her.

In the crowded bar, the bartender scrambled to go to them, Reina seemed to expect it, she smiled slightly "What can I get you Miss" His eyes drifted to Ayato, the man was human, he only believer that he was the son of some wealthy family that had bought the place "And Mister Kirishima, of course"

It wasn't very far off the mark anyway.

"Care to share a bottle?" Reina said, still smiling, but now looking at Ayato.

Knowing her, she was probably wondering whether Kirishima was his real last name. Ayato shot her a glance "You're crazy"

She just stared at him, infuriating smirk in place. Ayato turned towards the bartender "A bottle of Grey Goose, please"

The man scurried away without as much as another word.

"One of your bars then?" She said, closely inspecting her enameled nails.

"That come up in your report too?" Ayato said gruffly before leaning back into the chair.

She leaned forward "Well, you know I'm thorough" Reina was funny when drunk, or hot, or something "Though I have the feeling that you're not here through a coincidence"

In that moment, he was very glad that his face was probably already flushed, he  _had_  chosen to oversee that bar because he knew she'd be there, and he sort of liked to think that it was only his libido talking, but to be perfectly honest, it was just part of the reason. He scoffed "Don't flatter yourself"

"You're so easy to read" she laughed, and the waiter arrived with their glasses and the bottle "Ah thanks"

"No problem Miss" He turned to Ayato "Shall I add it to your tab, Mister "

Ayato shrugged "Sure"

Reina was already pouring them equally filled shots "What do you mean I'm easy to read"

She eyed him amusedly "That after a while you become transparent"

"Apparently I'm the only one" Ayato muttered

"Still don't get the crazy human?"

He frowned "No"

The woman just looked at him for a while and handed him the glass of alcohol "Lets toast" And maybe it wasn't a very good idea to let her have anymore because she was acting weird.

"Is there something we should be celebrating?" he said.

"Beats me" she smiled "So to a completely unremarkable life?" Like they had that, still he smiled.

"Yeah right"

And their glasses clinked, one shot became six or seven more as they got increasingly more chirpy and out of character-and Reina tried to tickle him, completely forgetting that she was the one with sensitive sides- by the time the bottle was three quarters empty, his vision was starting to go black around the edges and she was leaning on him, a comfortable weight on Ayato's shoulder.

Unexpectedly, though, she sat up bolt straight and looked around the bar and the dancefloor, Ayato reacted slowly, pulling her back to her chest in what later he'd recognize as an irrational impulse, because Reina could have sensed  _something_.

"You know" she murmured "I don't see them anymore, they're probably gone" Her lips ghosted over the skin of his neck.

"Probably" He tried to focus on the clock above the bar, it proved hard, his brain helpfully provided that it was late enough "The trains stopped running a while ago"

"There isn't much time, you know?" Glassy eyes stared up at him "It's going to stop soon, very soon"

"They already did, I'm pretty sure it's later than two-"

Her voice was deeper, harsher "Not that Ayato, she's coming and- Everyone will get hurt, but we still have-"and as if she had been struck by something, she shook her head laughing "Forget it"

"You're drunk" as if to prove him right, she started nipping long his neck "Reina…"

"Good observation, Mister Abs" she said, and for the first time he noticed that his shirt was riding up around his ribcage.

Flustered, he pulled it down.

"What did you say? Before"

She looked at him sadly, possibly having regained some sanity, she slid the tips of her fingers beneath his shirt "That I'll just take a cab home… unless… there's somewhere we can stay"

There was only one underling with him that night, and well, so long as neither of them disclosed anything inconvenient, he could shove it.

Ayato made a mental note to interrogate the woman on her drunken ramblings when everything wasn't so warm and swirly and he didn't want to take her over the bar. "There's a private room upstairs" He said huskily

"Good" her fingertips traced searing circles in his back "God, Ayato"

Ayato all but carried her upstairs.

.

.

He woke up well past noon, a slight headache pounding at his temples. The room smelled like her.

There was a glass full of water in the table beside him, but the other side of the bed had been empty for a while.

Ayato got up, forcing his muscles to drag him outside of the room, where Roku, his subordinate was typing away furiously on the computer. He was a man in his twenties with auburn colored dreads and golden eyes, about as tall as Ayato, quite personable, but ruthless as he had found.

True to his person, as soon as Ayato walked out of the room, the other barely shot a glance at him "Shall I call up the clean-up team, sir?"

Being in a strangely good mood, Ayato would have laughed had he been better acquainted with the man "No need"

The other perked up "Really? That woman sure looked… tasty"

An already familiar burn of anger pierced Ayato "We're supposed to control this place, not make the doves flock over" he bit out.

"Sure, sure "the other grinned "But what's one woman? Ahh but I guess it is like Ayato-san to be so thorough"

What was one woman? For one she was an investigator, daughter to a woman who'd once been as feared as Arima Kishou, she was strong too-and like he'd predicted, had had two Quinque knifes inside the deceptively skin tight boots- She was  _hi_ -

She was Reina.

Ayato growled "Finish whatever that is quick, we're going back to the base."

.

.

Eto had summoned him three hours before Ayato even woke up, the irritation emanating from the smaller woman when her met her at her chambers was palpable, though she spoke in her usual saccharine sweet, overly creepy tone.

"Ayato-kun, where were you?"

He put on a straight face "Checking out the ninth, as I had orders to"

She was nursing a cup of coffee and a paintbrush held her messy hair up, no one would ever think that this was the One Eyed Owl "And that took you almost a day, you were gone all of the night before too"

"The doves have been trying to move in, planting moles, I was spotting those" The corners of the woman's mouth fell "Rest assured, they'll be weeded out before tomorrow"

Never mind that he'd known exactly who and where the moles were for about a week, but Ayato had been thinking of other things.

"Very good" She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands "You've turned out to be very good with management, Ayato-kun" Something was coming, something he wasn't going to like "So I have a little mission for you"

Ayato simply narrowed his eyes, she continued. "We've been approached by a group from Kyoto, they wish to form an alliance with us." Great. "And I think you're the most fitting for the job of negotiating the terms"

"Am I going alone?"

"With Sachi-san, and a team that you two will choose" Her lips pursed "Listen, Ayato-kun, there's something I don't… really like about the two leaders you see. Of course, Aogiri is open to the treaty, but we wouldn't want any people whose ideals don't align with us in our midst. I'm entrusting that to your discretion"

"Interesting" The hairs on his neck stood up out of excitement "So in case they are problematic, we eliminate them?"

Eto smiled mischievously "Of course, how you do that will depend on the organization's structure"

"So cover it up if it'd cause an uprising" he figured it out quickly enough.

"I'd be happy to send Noro over if you need another set of hands" Like hell, Ayato was not missing a good fight, making it look like someone else's work would be easy enough.

"I'll let you know if that's necessary" He smirked, for once completely glad that he had Eto as a boss, after all, they both knew that the ´suggestion´ was a death sentence "When are we leaving?"

"In about three weeks, I'd say the first week of December if the CCG dogs don't try anything funny"

Surprised, he regarded her warily "That's an awfully long notice"

"Well, I'm hoping you improve a bit more before leaving, Ayato-kun" And he knew exactly what she meant by that "Remember that while we may grow in quantity, quality does much good for our lines"

"I'll see what I can do" He said stiffly, dreading the process and still aware that he'd have to indulge even if just a little "If there's nothing else-"

"Oh but there is, I want you to be back within a month, having settled things in Kyoto" she said "I have good reason to believe that there'll be some storms washing over us here, and we need every one of our stronger men"

"What do you mean by that?" Ayato said, wary of the answer and already suspicious of what it was.

"An old Dove is coming back to town with her squad, the head of the Akagi family "A shadow crossed her face "Is no laughing matter"

Well, now he knew what Reina had meant, Ayato groaned "Tsk, we'll just have to eliminate her fast"

"If you can, anyway, for the next month, I want you to train Hinami harder too, she's become good with her senses, but still lacks enough battle strength"

"Very well" Ayato's headache had gotten a slight bit worse, he got up and left, then spent a whole hour wandering the halls, looking for Hinami.


	10. Countdown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And yet another-very- late chapter, finals attacked me, and then haikyu brought out the fujoshi in me so –also, I’m still not over what happened to Shirazu-...  
> Again, this is a monstrously long chapter, and the next two are already planned out, so they shouldn’t take long, there’s much more to come.  
> I was listening to Bayside while writing all of this

Her apartment had probably never felt as foreign as when she went back that morning.

Winter was easily, quickly overtaking autumn, the faint sunlight that sometimes streamed through the windows barely had a shred of warmth to it, just like the trees were nearly bare of their tawny leaves.

She had nothing to do, she’d have nothing to do for a while, until the damned paperwork was through, and then Mado would probably swarm her with either training or reports. Not like she wasn’t looking forward to either, it was a good way to pass the time that turned from water to molasses when she had too much free to think and do nothing.

In a way that wasn’t  the only reason for her to be able to resign to an investigator’s life so easily, Reina knew that she would never run out of things to do and prey to chase, and that maybe someday she’d be able to free herself from her mother’s claws if she got far enough, high enough, in the end, she’d be playing right into the woman’s ambitions, or so Yoshino would think, until Reina discarded the Akagi family all together, she had, after all, already decided that the line would die with her, it was a small revenge, true, but considering who she was taking revenge on, it was more than fitting.

Searching through the kitchen cupboards, she found the pack of cigarettes that she had opened the previous morning, and then dragged herself to the living-room, sitting down as her pleasantly sore muscles ached just a little bit from the motion.

The one thing that she knew about how to execute this plan however, was that in the end, all would come down to influence and power, that so long as she didn`t surpass the woman, she’d always have some sort of hold on her unless Reina were to disappear from the CCG world altogether, and as she had told Ayato, she didn’t really know how to do anything else, she may not have been bred for the task, but she sure had been raised for it.

So in the end even her scarce plans for the future pointed at how foolish it was of her to be sleeping with a Ghoul when Yoshino was coming back to Tokyo in less than three weeks and she’d probably be monitoring the movements of her precious _heir_.

Reina had planned to scandalize her to the best of her abilities if and when the situation presented itself, but not like that; she was neither suicidal nor stupid, and as much as it made conflict arise in her inner self, she didn’t want Ayato to die, not for the moment at least and much less by that woman’s hands.

If the whole situation was ever discovered, she was sure that’d be what Yoshino would go for, at least so long as she could keep the knowledge to herself, that time around, she was sure, the older woman wouldn’t use mooks like she’d done with Shu, she’d go in for the kill herself, and afterwards she’d have Reina declared incapable and drag her away to somewhere she could force her to marry someone _suitable._

And so, it all came down to the fact that she needed to stop doing that, that she needed to cut off any form of contact or relation to the ghoul in question, there wasn’t a way around it, if her mother’s spies had found her hiding without any documents or any form of identification whatsoever in the deepest gutter of the ninth, as the co leader of a gang of humans, they wouldn’t miss the constant distant contact –and sporadic physical contact- that she kept with him, and maybe it was just her wish to not lose something like that again, maybe she was projecting Shu on Ayato, but the outcome was the same; they both would have been better off never having met her.

And yet she’d found it more than impossible to tell him that she never wanted to see him again outside the battlefield, the words had gotten stuck in her throat and yes, it was foolish because for all that she thought about it, for him whatever it was that they had was probably just a dalliance to the side, he was waiting for the right moment to eat her and he was too proud to do so if it was her that offered.

She shouldn’t try to protect him, she should go out and solve the godforsaken fight once and for all, she should run into the mouth of death, still knowing well enough that there was some chance that she’d come out of the other side and not feel like that much would be for some reason terrible.

But she didn’t, couldn’t, and she was tired of lying to herself.

So she had to cut him off, force herself if it was necessary.

_I don’t want to, he’s… fun in a way, maybe…_

She shook her head, draping herself over the armrest to grab onto the ashtray and lit up the cigarette –the room was going to stink and she’d hate herself for it, but she didn’t have much energy anyways-.

_This isn’t fair, I want him._

She had to choose the best course of action, rationally, but maybe, maybe she could give herself some amount of time, if her deadline was three weeks then…

Two weeks, in two weeks she’d do it, that is, if he even bothered with coming back.

.

.

The recently replaced fire-escape shone in the moonlight when she got back, it had been three days since she had made up her mind.

That day she’d gone to finish up the paperwork that would officially make her Rank 3 Akagi Reina. She had also met the people that would soon be her squad mates, if she managed to somehow convince her mother not to oppose her decision to enter the Quinx program.

The tall, gangly one had been alright, if a bit too loud, the one with the purple hair reminded her a bit too much of her mother for her to like him very much and the one that called himself Tooru –and whom she had a sneaking suspicion, was wearing a binder- had been a bit too meek despite his use of harsh masculine pronouns.

The other one had refused to come out of her room and Reina had felt relieved not to have to spend any more time with the still fidgety, overly apologetic Sasaki that had decided to try and coddle her in an attempt to make up for something that she wasn’t even upset about.

It might have had a bit to do with her possibly becoming one of his _children_ in the future too, but she somewhat doubted it.

She climbed up the stairs slowly, there still were little prickles of pain at her side when she moved around too much, and feeling positively naked with only a handful of knives hidden in her clothing –her new Quinque would be ready in a few days, so for the moment she had to make do, as unnerving as it was- the surprise that awaited her at the top was not quite a surprise.

He sat leaning on the wall, eyes lost somewhere between the skyscrapers that rose in the not that far off distance and hair billowing in the gentle, gelid breeze.

She wondered how this looked, how she looked, for any outsider she was just some bare-armed girl in cargo pants coming home and finding her friend waiting for her, said friend being a handsome man around her age, sitting in the fire escape probably cursing her slowness at getting back home, both probably mulling over college and future jobs and which brand of rum they’d drink from the next weekend.

Ayato’s eyes shifted to her and goosebumps rose across her bare skin, having little to nothing to do with the cold, he had a predatory gaze, but perhaps there wasn’t that much aggression in it that particular night.

Yes, things were wildly different from anything an outsider would ever be able to gather from the scene.

Reina took two steps towards him and let her back slide along the wall, Ayato tensed up for a second but it wasn’t long until his muscles loosened up again, knowing well enough now how to pick up when it was that she wanted to fight and when she was too weary of even existing to do anything that had anything to do with bloodshed.

She lit up a cigarette, only to find the thing snatched from her fingers in a second.

Looking up, she found his lips wrapping around the filter and taking a long deep drag. Ayato turned to look at her and passed her the cigarette back.

The oddity of the whole thing couldn’t be overlooked, by far, but it fit within the strange parameters of the relationship.

“Stressful week huh?” she said, slightly awkwardly, sometimes she didn’t know how to talk to him, despite the strange closeness that had come to grow between them, there was still a barrier –made out of the very fabric of reality, no less-that separated them.

Exhaling the smoke quickly, in shapeless streams that got carried off within seconds, he looked away “Normal, up until now” he said nonchalantly. “Right down to the incapable subordinates”

She shoved him lightly “At least you’re not _the_ incapable subordinate”

“Bah” he threw his head back “That’s you already isn’t it?

Reina nodded, taking a drag “They look at me like I should be put in a crib, and I only skipped a year”

Ayato’s head turned towards her, humor lining his expression “To be fair, you did get promoted by saving a Ghoul”

“Half-ghoul” she corrected, almost automatically, all of the stiffs at register had given Sasaki dirty looks while they regarded her with a mix of envy and mild disregard; like they were just waiting for Reina to not live up to her name “And I did kill one if I don’t remember wrong”

“That was with the bastard’s help though” he said lowly, it took her a while to realize that he was talking about Sasaki, moreover, that he was talking about Sasaki like he _knew_ the man.

She scoffed “Hmph, whatever” then a small bout of silence stretched between them, it was companionable, though a bit tense, but only until Reina remembered a small thing, after all, her formal introduction to the Quinx squad had included a rather clipped conversation with Akira as to the nature of their leader, now that Reina could hardly be expected not to be curious as to Sasaki’s nature –though she hadn’t been, not really, the older man was conflicted enough as it was, and she was sleeping with a full blooded Ghoul, a declared enemy, despite anything else, at least, Sasaki was undeniably on the CCG’s side-.

_“Haise is the product of CCG’s Doctor Kanou’s experiments” Akira had explained, tense, in a tone that made it clear that Reina was only allowed a certain amount of information –even if using the power of her mother’s last name, she could access most information, it was probably just protocol- “The Ghoul side of him is unstable, it can take over without warning when something particular triggers it, this is, of course, not something that could happen to a Quinx, that’s because he is a full blooded half-ghoul”_

_“So if there is a chance that he might run rampant, why is he out on the battlefield?”_

_“He understands both the risks and the consequences” What would happen if the man truly couldn’t be stopped was obvious._

_“Why is he even on our side then?” Reina asked “From what I’ve seen, his needs are more a Ghoul’s than a human’s at this point, so why?”_

_Akira blanched, clearly not expecting the question “That is information I cannot disclose”_

_Reina frowned “I can get it through other means”_

_“I can assure you, Akagi –san” Akira smiled condescendingly as Reina grit her teeth “That anyone not directly implicated with the case won’t get through to the bottom of it, even if it is the Akagi family” and that_ had _made Reina curious, there were few things that even that password couldn’t get her._

_“Are there others, like him?”_

_“No, not within the CCG” Akira clenches her fists at her sides “But Kanou remains at large, so for all we know, there might be”_

_“Oh.”_

_“Are you done with the questions?” the other woman said, impatient_

_“Yeah” it was clear that she wasn’t getting anything else out of Akira –or the databases apparently- but that didn’t mean that she was letting it go, she’d just have to find the right time and the right people to convince and extract information from._

And in that moment, she remembered, Reina had barely paid any attention to Ayato’s words then, but then, when she found herself wondering about it, she realized that probably, she had just the right person to ask.

“Ayato” she used his first name, knowing well that it would get his attention more effectively “Who’s Kaneki?”

An irritated expression crept over the Ghoul’s face, like she’d mentioned a particularly annoying bit of work to him “Shouldn’t you know?” the blue hared man answered harshly.

She hummed, pleased, so he did know something “I think I do” she sighed “That’s what you called Sasaki, and I know what _he_ is”

“Why ask then?” he grumbled.

“Because I like whole stories, not just endings” She looked at him with the most earnest expression that she could “And you talk like you know him”

Ayato gave her a weary glance, that was sort of crossing a line, but it was not like she was asking him about the inner workings of Aogiri, and nothing that he could say about this Kaneki would probably put Ayato in danger, Reina wasn’t asking out of anything but plain curiosity. “He was Eyepatch when I knew him” he said “The bastard spent a good amount of time hiding behind others” She figured Ayato was one of those. “Then he finally grew a spine and tried to stand up to us, but in the end as far as we knew, he’d gotten shredded by your Shinigami” Or not?

“Arima huh?” she said, surprised at how much had started to make sense, even Sasaki’s apparent adoration of the man –that looked like it hid something more, something by far more sinister- “That explains a lot” she thought for a bit “So he was an enemy of yours?”

“Pretty much of the tree as a whole” he smirked “Not that I blame him, for that, at least.

“What do you mean?” she said, confused, true, she had known that eyepatch was bitter enemies with the Tree, and still…

The smile that stretched over Ayato’s face was sinister, almost mocking “He ran into the wrong side of a torturer of ours”

When she thought about it, Sasaki didn’t bother to dye his slowly growing roots, even if by now they were an evident black against the stark white, she _had_ heard that such a thing could happen.” Makes sense that he switched sides then.”

Ayato laughed, shaking his head “That man” he started “Is not the one I knew” he steals another drag from the dying cigarette “For all I know your guys lobotomized him, or something. Well, I could be wrong it’s not like I ever knew him well” the expression on Ayato’s face was bitter, she thought that they probably knew each other well enough in the battlefield, but Sasaki hadn’t shown any kind of reaction to Ayato, he had not recognized him at all.

She thought for a second, to Sasaki’s apparent absence of a past to talk about, to his easy relief and his expressions that sometimes seemed to hold a pain that not even he actually understood. “I wonder if it wasn’t better for him to have forgotten. If you’re right anyway” Ayato was looking at her with a confused expression “He got a new life” she explained, and Ayato grimaced.

“You really think that?” he said “It’s not like he’s been able to actually erase the things that happened”

She remembered the transformation, the pure madness that the half-kakuja suggested “Well, that is true.” She paused for a second “But they don’t haunt him anymore”

“Most of the time” the blue haired Ghoul said.

“Most of the time” she agreed “But I think that’s an improvement”

“Those things are going to come back at some point, and he’ll be wholly unprepared for it” he said gruffly.

“But he’ll have had more time being happy”

Ayato looks at her with a raised eyebrow “Could you really feel at ease like that?”

Reina thought about it, living with a blank slate for a past but for a few –rather unsettling- tidbits of information and the occasional psychotic break. She stared into Ayato’s blue eyes for a long moment “I guess not” then the image of a Sasaki who laughed with his squad and his weary eyes alert to the smallest sign of them becoming half ghouls came to her head “I don’t think he does either”

Ayato shrugged “Hell if I know; he always had very little common sense.

The cigarette was long since death and her hands were going numb and blue around the nails from the cold. Dusting herself, Reina got up “Want to come in?”

It was the first time that she actually asked, instead of giving him hints or plainly pulling Ayato inside.

But doing so didn’t feel very wrong.

The ghoul merely glanced at her and brought himself to his feet, making Reina suddenly remembered that there were a few good inches between them when she found herself eye level with his chin.

The breath caught in her throat.

_What the- I’m acting stupid._

A gentle nudge from the man in front of her startled her enough to break Reina out of her absent minded musings, she opened the window and they both slipped inside, startling a sleeping Mik.

.

.

Having always been an insomniac unless she was drunk, Reina woke up a little past three.

She laid still, though, with her eyes fixated on the handsome face of the sleeping Ghoul –the inner curtains had been left open for some reason, and there was just enough light coming from the street and the moon for her to be able to make out his factions.

This was very, very bad, but it had a simple enough solution.

She knew well enough that she had to make it so that he truly wouldn’t come back, that it had to be enough so that he’d treat her like any other opponent during battle, that he killed her if it was necessary.

And for that, she needed him to hate her, in a way.

There was a certain trust between them, born from god knew where, and though she admitted that she only wanted him away and did not really want to die yet –and as such, couldn’t threaten him with the information that she had discovered for the raid on the ninth- she would have figure out another way, even if it was a cruder route.

Ayato, thankfully, was a prideful creature, she had a feeling that if she strove to hurt that pride to hurt that pride, things would go smoothly. The thing was that she really wasn’t sure if she could.

Maybe she could appeal to the fact that he didn’t really care for her, but that had too big a margin of error for her to be comfortable with.

Leaving aside any other considerations, whatever she did, would be an awful thing, despite the short time, she’d grown attached to the ghoul.

But it wouldn’t be the hardest thing she’d done or the most painful.

 _I know what love is, after all_ she thought _and this unreasonable desire that I feel for him isn’t it_

She thought of Shu too then, he’d probably have told her that she liked the men that’d surely destroy the bubbles that she lived in and she’d have laughed and run into his arms.

Reina frowned and squirmed uncomfortably. Shu was dead, long since dead and buried.

At her sudden movement a warm arm drew her closer to the sleeping body at her side.

_I still have… a few days after all._

_._

_._

The rest of the week passed without notable events, and so did the next one, she underwent the testing for Quinx again –and passed with high aptitude again- got lectured about smoking by the ruddy looking doctor and got a load of paperwork delivered to her by an apologetic looking Mutsuki Tooru, saying that Akira had commanded she did her part too.

-and god she had hated all of the damned forms and fake reports that still had to be filed out just in case-

She’d gotten a desk at work and trained with Akira and Sasaki a few times, even gotten to know the Quinx better –she had been right about Urie, she couldn’t stand the little shit, but Reina found herself pleasantly surprised by finding that Mutsuki and Saiko could make decent conversation when they were once asked to bring the blue haired girl down, she hadn’t seen much of Shirazu yet though-.

On Wednesday she’d picked up her Quinque without much bustle, Akira refused to let her go out on missions for at least a week more and she hadn’t gotten the opportunity to do anything with Spike –named after one anime character from her infancy- other than swing him around the training rooms after hours.

There was however one thing that was unsettling, delightful and inconvenient at once.

Ayato had stayed the night more than a few more times, she found him sitting in her fire escape almost every second day, and that Friday which marked the end of the second week, she had a feeling that she would run into him in her fire escape again once she finished doing transcripts with Tooru.

Genuinely, she liked seeing the man, Reina barely even thought of the other as a Ghoul anymore beyond acknowledging that such was his nature and such a thing scared her beyond her wit’s end.

They didn’t take as long as she thought they would, Mutsuki was unexpectedly good with the bunch of legal paperwork that Reina was at least supposed to remember from her classes but when she thought about it, all she came up with was white noise and vague complaints at how boring some class or other was –then again, after History of Countermeasures, Legislation and Processing was her other class for sleeping- They turned the stack of paper to Akira, who looked happy enough, having caught and A rank that they had been trying to catch for months.

“Good. Mutsuki-kun, you’re free to go to your training session. Akagi-san should come along” Akira smirked “If only to watch” she turned to Reina, a glint in her eye betraying that maybe things were going more smoothly with _that_ paperwork than either of them expected. 

She thought it over, Reina wasn’t even sure that Ayato would appear that night, she wasn’t even sure if it was wise to drag that _thing_ they had out for even the week she’d allowed herself before she broke contact for good, furthermore, she was missing a good spar.

And Spike wasn’t in her locker, -it was at her house, in the closet- but all of her knives were.

“Sure, I’ll tag along, I’m sure Sasaki will humor me, even if I’ve yet to get a kakuhou of my own” Akira smiled, and Reina was even more sure that there was something about her admission into the program that was going way more smoothly than it had the first time around.

“Very well, then I’m expecting you two here tomorrow as well” she cleared her throat “We’ll be going on a recon mission on Thursday, the whole team” her eyes landed on Reina “And I said recon Akagi, do you understand?”

“Pfft, yes, yes” Reina turned to Mutsuki “Do you mind if we swing by my locker on the way out, Tooru-kun?”

The young man shook his head “No, not at all”

.

.

At the chateau, they found Sasaki practicing hand to hand with Urie.

There was something to be said for Sasaki’s skills, even without Quinque or Kagune, the purple haired man was struggling to so much as keep up.

Saiko and Shirazu were sitting in the corner of the room, playing cards.

Urie noticed them come in “You’re here” he said, solely directing his gaze towards Mutsuki, and then glared at Reina in a way that clearly said – _and what the hell are_ you _doing here? -._

“Ohh, Tooru-kun’s here and… Reina-san” She shot the man a glare, his nervousness was obvious “Reina, I mean”

“Hey” she said, shrugging off her bag “Akira sent me over, seems things are going more smoothly than we expected” her coat also ended up on the floor with a little more shuffling “So if you’ll have me I’m all yours Sasaki-sensei”

Two spots of pink shone high on the older man’s cheeks and he shrugged “Of course you can join, we’re not focusing on Kagune today, so all the better”

She raised an eyebrow “Oh you aren’t?” she’d thought the hand to hand was just some form of passing the time until Mutsuki showed up.

Sasaki smiled apologetically “I don’t want you all relying solely on your kagune”

Ayato’s words ran through her head, for a second, Reina thought that she could see a sort of forlorn sadness in the silver haired man’s gaze.

“Maman” Saiko whined from where she was sitting with Shirazu “Can I sit this one out? Can I, can I?”

Sasaki chucked “You can at least make a little effort Saiko”

The blue haired girl puffed out her cheeks and turned her head indignantly, though they all could see she wasn’t really mad, but not very willing to train either way.  “Fine, but only if I spar with maman”

Sasaki had a soft spot for the girl, Reina knows, and so does Saiko, who was very clearly using it for her own advantage, it wasn’t like Reina really cared though, and sparring with one of the others –at least Urie or Shirazu- would be more fun than Sasaki, who refused to not hold back with her since what had happened at the stakeout mission.

Sighing the man nodded “Fine” He turned around “We are an even number with Reina here actually, so that works well”

“Yay!”

“Hmm” He said, looking at the four of them “Shirazu, you spar with Tooru-kun and Urie, you’re with Reina”

It wasn’t surprising, but none the less she felt happy, while Reina liked Tooru, from what she had seen, the man was a bit too meek while fighting and she didn’t much like having to hold back.

In the wide training room, she and Urie took the very end of it, beside an already giving up Saiko and an exasperated Sasaki.

She knew that the other man had a Koukaku Kagune, so he had to be a more strength-based fighter, though Reina had never seen him battle another Ghoul. For the moment he wasn’t allowed to use his Kagune though, and Reina figured that she herself was to abstain from using knives or Spike if she had him.

Things could go either way, he could be faster and agiler than the average investigator without the weight of his kagune, or it could give him a disadvantage, not having the weight of the weapon behind his attacks, forcing his muscles to do an additional effort to inflict a similar amount of damage.

She herself was in a similar position, having been used to a Quinque that did weight about as much as a real battle axe would’ve, and though she was in fact well used to working with knives, in the end truth was that Reina was at her best with a Koukaku or a Bikaku in her hands.

The few times her mother had had her try out Ukaku however, had been disastrous, it had been yet another thing that Reina had failed at, Yoshino handled Ukaku the best, though that was not to say that she wasn’t proficient at using most other types, even if –and in fact, the very reason Reina still put having a Koukaku over having a Bikaku- was that the older woman found the sturdier, more strength based type of Kagune, crass and unappealing.

As it was, for the moment they were bare handed.

Neither she nor Urie waited for Sasaki’s signal, both just dashed forward into combinations of very familiar forms, Urie used his arms a lot, while Reina favored high kicks and nigh somersaults that took him off guard.

Reina quickly discovered that it was the first option that won out, the man was far faster than she remembered him being the few times she’d seen him use his kagune.

They danced, Urie was good, and though she could have bested him in a few occasions, Reina preferred to draw out the spar as long as it was possible.

After all, she was dreading the walk home, and dreading even more what awaited her there, after all, she was almost at day zero, by Sunday she had to have done it, and she knew that her window for doing this was small, not only chronologically but also mentally, she had to get Ayato to reject her completely and she didn't really want to.

Annoyed, she crouched and twirled around, coming up with a kick that all but buried the heel of her foot in the soft flesh of Urie's chin.

The man fell backwards, out of breath and startled, and a worried looking Sasaki burst into the scene.

"Urie-kun, are you ok?"

The purple haired man wiped up a thin trail of blood from his chin “Yes, she surprised me" he said in a low voice that Reina was only barely able to hear.

"Uh, sorry" she had not meant to use force past what a simple spar required, she was just wound up tight all over again.

Usually, she'd be hoping for Ayato to be sitting outside of the window when she went back home, but.

She turned to look at the remaining Quinx, they were all leaning on the wall on the far side of the training room, none all that visibly winded, though Tooru had a strange expression adorning his face, a mix between awe and slight fear. "We got a bit carried away huh?" She said, dusting off her pants as Urie himself got up, wincing as he twisted his torso.

"You did" He said, eyes piercing into Reina's.

Sasaki laughed "We thought you were going to keep going at it all night".

Reina wasn't about to say that she had been holding back, well, until she'd gotten distracted with the Ayato thing and damn well near crushed Urie's windpipe.

"Well it had been a while since I had a good spar" she said, pouting "Since _someone_ insists on treating me like I'm made of glass"

"I'm going" Urie said all of a sudden, and in less than a second he had slunk out of the room with Shirazu following close behind.

"Hahaha, well, I guess you have a few new sparring partners like this" Sasaki said "Actually, Akira asked me to give you something"

"Huh?"

"I'll bring it down; you can wait in the living-room if you want to"

"Sure... I guess" she narrowed her eyes and exited the room, noting that Saiko and Mutsuki follower her down the stairs.

"Are you really going to join the squad Rei-chi?" Saiko asked.

"I think so, yes, there's a bit of an issue with my paperwork to resolve first so it might take a while"

"So you're going to live here with us?"

"Uhh, I don't know, probably?"

"You should, aside from Maman, you're the best cook"

They arrived at the living room and Reina plopped down on one of the couches "Really? I don't cook much for myself, so I wouldn't really know"

"Well, the pasta from the other day was pretty good" Mutsuki chimed in. Well, it hadn’t been very much, and she’d only done it because Sasaki had suddenly been called out and left them to fend for themselves with dinner, it was pretty late, so any take out would’ve taken a while and everybody was whining and sort of hungry, even Urie.

Reina laughed, "I can teach you if you'd like, it's not very hard, though, really I don't cook all that much"

Saiko pinched her on the side "Well I can see that"

"Huh?" She looked at the other girl, confused

"You're all bony Rei-chi"

The black haired woman laughed "Nah"

Just then Sasaki appeared on the stairs, carrying a dry cleaning bag and a shoebox in his hands, his eyes had a warm look to them as he regarded the scene in the living-room.

"Akira said that you couldn't skip the dress code anymore" he held out the bag to a dumbfounded Reina, who received it with wide eyes, beside her, Saiko burst out laughing, probably at her expression.

Inside the bag laid a gray office suit, a blazer, a stuffy white collared shirt and a pencil skirt.

At some point, her blue haired companion had snatched the shoe box from Sasaki's grip and opened it. Reina twisted her head to the side to see what had been the cause for yet another burst of laughter from the shorter girl.

She had hated the uniform the second she'd seen it, all of its primness and stiffness a sharp contrast to her usual tank tops and cargo pants, and yet that hate could not compare to what she felt when she saw the pair of shiny, lustrous Mary Jane's sitting in their box with their prim little two-inch heel that she knew was more uncomfortable than any other heel three inches longer. Reina was a fan of heels for going out, but that kind of shoes, in particular, she hated, especially in that line of work -who the hell wanted to fight superhuman creatures in heels for god's sake? - especially because her mother had forced her into them since she was twelve.

Reina looked up at Sasaki with what she was sure was her most pathetic, pleading expression "Can we please, pretend there was a fire, please?"

The man scratched at his chin nervously “I’m afraid that she said it was an order”

“Ughh” she cast a hateful glance at the shoes “Do I really have to?”

Sasaki chuckled joining Saiko and Mutsuki in their laughter “I’m afraid so” he shot a glance at the kitchen where they could hear someone rummaging through the cupboards “I’m making dinner now, hold on a bit Shirazu-kun” He yelled in the other man’s general direction, then turned back to Reina “Would you like to stay for dinner?”

Well, she was dreading going home “Sure, I’ll help out, even” then in a low voice, she muttered “Just consider backing me up with the fire excuse” Sasaki just laughed.

In the end, they had stew and stir fry rice, Reina wondered how Sasaki could be so good at cooking when –at least from what she extracted from the rather scant information that Akira had given her- he couldn’t find the same taste in it that even the Quinx still could.

“I vote for Rei-chi showing us what she looks like with her new uniform” Saiko piped up as Sasaki put away the last of the dishes, Urie had already retired to his room for the night, after eating rather fast and excusing himself without bothering to seem very sincere.

Reina felt herself flush “Wha- No!”

“I agree” Mutsuki piped up.

“Me too” Shirazu said.

When Reina turned to Sasaki, seeking one last bit of support in her decision not to wear the hideous thing, she found him extending the shoebox towards he.

She sighed, couldn’t hurt, could it?

“You can use my room Rei-chi” Saiko said. “You know where it is”

 She walked towards Saiko’s room and very quickly pulled the clothes on, making the shirt wrinkle awfully in the process, but oh well.

When she came out into the living-room, she was met with stunned silence, and surprisingly the first to speak was Mutsuki “It suits you, Reina-san”

Her deadpan expression probably gave away what she thought of the outfit, damn, those shoes hurt “I think it’s time I left”

Saiko laughed “Are you embarrassed?”

“I hate everything” The shorter girl’s giggles didn’t stop, Reina’s glare softened “But really, it’s late” she said, glancing at the clock on the wall, it marked ten and she wasn’t that close to her house, though Reina planned on walking, it was time to plan out the stage and the words she’d say for Ayato’s benefit and her own.

“Do you want me to accompany you to the station?” Sasaki said.

“Nah” She kissed both Mutsuki and Saiko on the cheeks and waved at Shirazu, who was again, looking for something in the cupboards “I’m walking, bye guys”

“Are you sure?” Sasaki’s worried expression was a bit amusing, he was too much like a mom to his squad, and that seemed to be extending over to Reina “It might not be safe”

“it’s the third, nothing ever really happens, and in case it did” she took her coat from the rack and held it open, showing the older man her knife set “I’m sure I can take care of myself”

Sasaki smiled cautiously “If you say so”

“I do, bye Sasaki”

“Goodnight”

“That too”

And so, she stepped out into early winter’s air.

.

.

Those were streets that she knew well enough, Reina had spent a good two years wandering around Tokyo whenever she wasn’t getting drilled into perfection and she found comfort in still knowing the streets she started walking when Yoshino decided to come back to her native soil, after dragging her around China and Russia for almost a decade.

It hadn’t been that bad, in the beginning, life had been set for her to live, with a routine of flourishes and strict rules that she never wanted to step out from –for the consequences had been dire then, for even gaining weight that wasn’t in muscle-.

Training, ballet, formal instruction, training, ballet, formal instruction.

Yoshino had never had eyes for anything other than work, her leaves of vacation had been few and far in between and Reina started to dread the times when the older woman had time all to herself for she’d become far more demanding, and as she grew, so did the hatred, the restlessness of being tied down to a life that she had never chosen, a life that she was made for never leaving.

Everything had become sour then, even drawing, even ballet, she’d lost her passion for most things and though later, with time she would regain it, if she hadn’t found Shu when she had, she was sure that all that remained of her then would have disappeared.

 _Sometimes_ , she mused, while lighting up a cigarette beneath some random streetlight _I wonder if I got back to myself at all. Sometimes it feels like there are still missing pieces from that time._

And then, there she was; another shadow in a city that somehow she’d come to call home.

And she was still living a life borrowed from the designs of some random entity, though this time, at least she had the honor of it being time, the endless coming and going of things that moved her prone body in whichever direction it so wished, and sometimes, sometimes she’d do something to upset the balance, something that despite the wind, a push strong enough for her to actually do it didn’t exist, and then, with the renewed gusts of wind, she let it take her, wherever, even if it was the wolf’s mouth or its lair –Ayato could be considered such, she knew well-.

At least, that she didn’t truly hate.

Even with the lack of structure and the eyes on her back.

She figured that she’d see him when she arrived home.

It was halfway there that she found the situation ridiculous.

The sense of foreboding wasn’t new but as she crossed over form one ward to another, Reina Akagi realized that it was time, keeping such a thing up for any longer…

The trigger was probably how comfortable she’d felt; how normal it had seemed to feel the Ghoul observing her from some nook in the nearby buildings.

She was getting too comfortable and that… had to stop, soon, before roots were laid and she forgot what it was that she had to do, for both their benefits.

An ironic laugh rose up her throat, she was even all dressed up for her charade, as soon as she got home, it was time to finally take charge of the course she was taking, even if it meant losing a small part of herself.

.

.

Ayato was where she often found him those days, propped up against her building wall, staring at the starless sky apathetically, clearly thinking of things far away in both distance and time.

He didn’t even look winded, for having probably gotten there just a few minutes before she herself climbed up the fire escape.

Slowly, he glanced at her, and she saw it in his gaze too, the comfort, the routine, the twisted sense of trust that she felt gnawing at her insides.

The first time she had climbed the fire escape to find him there, Ayato had brought out his Kagune and tensed up his whole body, ready for a fight, and now, he met her gaze, tranquil and inquisitive, no such tension in his form and not a hint of the red-purple glow of his Ukaku peeking from behind his back.

An inquisitive eyebrow rose at her manner of dress, he had never after all, seen her like that, hell, even she only saw herself like that at the academy official functions –for which there was a separate special uniform that laid forgotten in the back of her closet-.

The one thing she’d been unable to figure out in the long walk from the chateau was how to begin this particular conversation.

“You look like a Dove” He spoke quietly, and a hint of lasciviousness hid behind his mocking tone-there was also a hint of something that Reina couldn’t quite identify, but she chose to keep that out of her mind-.

She sat down beside him, letting her coat fall to the floor with its familiar clinking sound “Well I am one, after all”

He smirked “Like I’ve said, you’re more of a hired gun”

“I guess you’re right” she sighed, and went in for the kill, the feeling that if she didn’t get it over with then and there, she never would, was overwhelming. “You know; I’m tired of this”

“Well, it’s not like you’re going to leave it, we both kn- “

“Not… the CCG, this…” she gestured at the scant space between them “I’m tired of doing this”

His eyes widened a little, not enough for Reina to assert whether he was surprised or not “Doing what exactly?” he drawled out weakly.

“Whatever it is we are doing, Ayato” Reina said, more harshly than she’d have wished, he tensed up at her use of his name, even if in the past weeks it had become something of a habit “Fucking, talking at ungodly hours, call it what you may”

“I see” his eyes get lost in the maze of buildings in front of them “You’re a dove after all”

“I thought I was a hired gun” She said noncommittally, playing with one of the longer strands of hair from her fringe.

“You’ll be a dove eventually” Ayato stubbornly kept on gazing into the buildings that cut off the horizon.

“Yes, sooner rather than later, I’d say” Reina looked away “It was a mistake to start such a thing in the first place”

“I always said you were foolish” Though she was facing the other direction, Reina could feel his gaze on the side of her face.

“So were you” she chuckled “I’ve never been known for my rationality”

“No, and I never expected better from someone like that”

Smiling tiredly, she turned to look at him “We had to get bored of it at some point huh?”

Bitterness coated his tone when he spoke again “I just had to get tired of sleeping with the enemy”

“Well, I guess I beat you to it”

He was being far more calm than Reina had planned for, of course, she had been modeling his reactions after past scorned lovers, and Ayato was a beast of his own, of course he wouldn’t react the same way, he wasn’t even the same species.

It probably should’ve made her happier, less drama, less effort, less memories to suppress later when she was shoved in front of Yoshino’s claws, Still, there was a tightening in her chest that Reina couldn’t really comprehend, his quiet acceptance of things was that of someone who was used to losing things, having them taken away with barely the flick of someone else’s wrist.

_I would know about that, wouldn’t I…?_

Reina didn’t like that, even if the rational side of her brain which had been against starting this strange liaison in the first place was very present and screaming that Reina didn’t even consider herself a thing being taken from him, partly because they’d never cared for the other all that much, and partly because Reina herself had never belonged to the blue eyed Ghoul.

Then he said, in a voice unexpectedly heavier, throwing his head forward so his hair covered his eyes “…That’s how this world is, isn’t it?”

Sometimes, she got the feeling that he was lonely, it should’ve been a given since he didn’t seem to have much of a problem with staying over at her apartment with no previous warning and though Reina had seen him pull out a phone once or twice, in all of his visits, those could be counted in one hand’s fingers and they never were longer than just barely enough to check the time. Regardless of anything, Reina had long since accepted that there actually was some part of her that didn’t like that, even if he was sarcastic and moody, the Ghoul wasn’t… all that bad, he had after all proved to be one of the few people that she could tolerate when she wasn’t drunk or high on adrenaline.

“Mhmm, once we are done using people, we throw them away, you would’ve ended it like this eventually too”

He laugher hoarsely “No, not like this, I’d have just stopped showing up”

“That sounds about right” Reina didn’t even know why her hands were shaking, it was good, everything was going well “I didn’t quite have that option though”

“No, and you have the most to lose” He frowned, the sentence sounded like it was something that he’d thought for a while. frowned,

No, she didn’t and he knew that as well as Reina did, she did not value most of the things she had left more than she valued nimieties like cigarettes or sunset walks, but it was like the scrip for the scene was already written and laid out in front of them, and she found herself lying, knowing that they were the right words for the effect that she intended to cause “Yes, and I think… that I’m starting to want some things more” The Ghoul’s head whipped around, actually looking surprised. For her, it was almost too easy to pretend that she was flustered then, hiding behind her hair and closing her eyes “Maybe I… am staring to like it, just a little”

And then he burst into a fit of bitter laugher, that she herself joined, not for the same reason, Reina knew Ayato fooled perfectly by her lies, no, because she knew that it was the best she could do, that it should have never started in the first place, it was just ironic how upsetting it was all becoming with each passing second of the charade and the very realization that from the very way he started putting up his walls , that it was affecting Ayato, and not in the way that she had hoped for.

Reina’s plan had after all been to enrage him, make him hate her enough that he’d just throw the damned game out of the window and strangle her or leave and treat her as no more than a mere stranger if they were ever to meet again.

“Humans are so stupid” he said between chuckles “So fickle, you all stop being amusing so quickly”

That hurt, the disappointment that she could feel from those words.

“I guess, to one of you, we might as well be” She stood up and dusted off her skirt, he too was on his feet a second later, towering over her in a way that Reina couldn’t seem to get accustomed to “So, Black Rabbit, let’s make the next time we meet the last one, it would be fitting. Don’t you think?”

“Tch” he rolled his eyes “Why would I take instructions from you, Dove?”

“Fine then” her smile was weak “I’ll make sure we have no chance but to make it the last.

He said nothing, their eyes met for a few seconds, resigned, and she was sure that he was going to kiss her goodbye.

But this was real life, a few seconds passed and he didn’t, so she turned around and opened the window.

“Goodbye” his voice said, somewhere behind her.

Having always been a fairly perceptive person –to other’s emotions, at least- she could almost taste the conflict within his, Reina couldn’t help it, getting to know someone both physically and mentally like they had did not come free, and it wasn’t a kind thing to do to oneself when the other person was someone who you one day had to  tear yourself away from, and right then, she wanted to not do it, to figure out those emotions as well as the ones that she was steadily locking in a box in the back of her mind, she would’ve if it wouldn’t have destroyed all that her hastily gathered resolve had accomplished.

“Good…” Ayato’s presence faded completely “Bye”

Reina slipped inside and went for the vodka.

 _Just tonight_ … _After all, however uncertain it’s length might be, I now have the rest of my life._

.

.

The following week, she found herself working over even more paperwork in her desk at Headquarters when the room started buzzing with hushed whispers.

The excitement was palpable in the air, so was the slight tinge of fear.

And she understood, Reina stood up, dusting her uniform off and calmly walked out.

Special-class Akagi Yoshino had just arrived, or she was about to.

Reina’s stride was fast and calm, she was careful not to call much attention to herself as she navigated the corridors, confident in her destination.

She had mapped it out from the very day she’d been assigned to join headquarters.

It was a small back-door, meant for the cleaning service, there were cameras, but no one would bother checking them unless there was an incident or anything suspicious, much less with such a person roaming around the halls, much less when Reina’s mother had arriver four days early –it was an old habit of hers, she liked to take people by surprise, Reina had been expecting it-.

Kami herself had warned Reina that something was up with the professors at the academy when they’d met on Saturday night. Reina had taken heed of it, even in the state of inebriation that had seen her through the weekend.

So now, here she was slipping away through a service door, suitcase in hand and very much ready to go on a hunt.

Certainly, one of the good things about being a ranked investigator now was that she got unlimited access to the CCG network without risking to alert her mother, a little tweaking had gone a long way, and she was officially not even in the building, as far as the system knew, at least.

Akira had been her savior in that sense too, the older woman had, just the day before, that she was allowed to go on a hunt whenever she wished during that week, and that it’d be official –or official enough, the woman had said-.

The longer that she could hold off meeting the woman, the better.

Once outside, Reina pulled a few crumpled papers out from her pocket

 _Black beak, huh?_  He had been given a tentative of A, but it’d do.

.

.

In the end, Black beak had been just about above the average A, good enough to keep her entertained after Reina had found him in some corner of the ninth that had brought far too many memories back.

It took her three days to chase the Ghoul down, when she went to the CCG to repot him as dead, she found a rather pleased Akira.

“You’ve done a good job of this” the older woman said, with only the slightest hint of pity to her tone.

“Well, I am motivated” Reina dropped her body on the chair and threw her head back as the computer came on.

“You can’t avoid her forever”

“I can’t avoid her past this weekend, probably” Reina started typing, not really bothering with any embellishments to her retelling, whoever read those things could just imagine the fight from the scarce details that it didn’t tire her out to give. “But I’m going to relish every second I have”

Akira laughed “Well, she is… abrasive”

Reina perked up “You’ve met her already?” And if Akira said that her mother was abrasive, well, that meant that Yoshino wasn’t in a very good mood.

“She wished to meet your quad leader” The other woman stopped sorting through forms and tuned to look at Reina “I also got the chance to ask her about the Quinx program”

“Oh” The dark haired woman tried not to look disappointed “What did she say?”

“She opposes” Akira said “But I got the feeling that our plan should work, she doesn’t have as much pull with Director Washuu as she does with his father, and the old man doesn’t much care about you either way”

“Oh the wonders of being invisible” But it was good news, so long as the very top brass didn’t object, then maybe…

Reina had always been curious about the Quinx operation

“You’re not that invisible, anymore, that’s the thing” Akira said “Your compatibility is pretty high and you’ve gotten some big hits in, even not being a Quinx.”

“So now I’m a prime candidate”

Akira shrugged “Pretty much”

The blonde turned back to her task, and Reina didn’t say anything else.

.

.

It was late at night that same Thursday when she made it back home, as she climbed the fire escape, a chill ran up her spine and all of her suspicions were confirmed when Reina found the window open.

It couldn’t be...

She barged into her room, looking for any signs of Ayato, she’d never thought that the Ghoul would come back, but he was the only one who ever came in through her window.

True, she’d thought she’d felt him watching from a distance on Sunday night –or was it Saturday? - but later on had blamed it on inebriation and instability of mind, as the strange presence had never appeared after that, or at least had kept enough distance from her that Reina had not been able to feel it.

Her room met Reina with deafening silence and infinite stillness, there was no one inside –but stacks of her books had been knocked over, like someone had tripped all over them, that was odd, Ayato had stopped tripping like that after the second time-, dropping her suitcase to the floor, she walked into the hallway, nothing in the bathroom, nothing in her dancing room, nothing in the spare room.

The kitchen was empty too.

In the living room however, a silhouette awaited her, hanging from one of her many shelves, it was almost translucent as the lights from outside went through it.

Reina knew just what it was, though at first, it had managed to startled.

She turned on the lights and saw that the dress was a beautiful cerulean blue, it’d probably cling on to her for dear life and she was sure that it was heavy just from the amount of crystals that lined the skirt, it wouldn’t cover up the worst of her scars, but Reina didn’t quite care all that much.

Beside it, stood a pair of silver shoes that shone as if they themselves were made of glass.

The one thing she’d always shared with Yoshino, despite their many differences had been a love for nice clothing, Reina was more than sure that all that was from her, and when she took the dress and its hanger from the shelf and lifted the shoes from her sofa, she found her suspicions confirmed –a folded piece of expensive paper laid below them, with elegant calligraphy spelling out her name-.

The dam that she had constructed to hold back the floods of rage at the woman –which stemmed mostly from what she’d learned before killing Ookuro- burst.

And yet the rage had nowhere to go, she knocked over the coffee table and almost broke two vases, Mik –who’d been sleeping god knows where- dashed out of the room, sacred, and Reina _couldn’t do anything._

Something that she had found herself thinking of several times before –when Yoshino’s punishments for inane things ended up being brutal, mostly- was whether, if a time came when she had to fight the woman for whatever reason, she would be able to seriously hurt her.

Reina had always liked to think that with an amount of hate great enough, she would’ve been able to, and yet, now that she knew that she couldn’t hat the woman more, there was also a big part of her which insisted that she probably couldn’t.

There was of course, the thing with her being her mother, a mother whom had been brutal, borderline tyrannical, but had at times, when things went well, been wonderful –the good didn’t outweigh the bad, by far, but it made her think-. Even all of the pain that she’d been put through didn’t change that.

Also, she wasn’t even sure that she could win in a fight between them both, and even if she could brush her childish affection –or thirst for affection anyway- _and_ win, that would mean losing all of which held any meaning to her, little as it was. It would have meant to truly become an outcast, persecuted, then when she was starting to find some sort of solace, of fulfillment in her work.

 _My hands are tied_ she realized _Even if I could kill her, I can’t kill her_

Dropping to her knees softly, she picked up the letter, resignation washing over her in waves.

_Akagi Reina_

_Given our past history, your reluctance to meet me is understandable, I myself have found that it is better if the times this happens, are kept to a minimum, for my feelings regarding you, are not the best, as you well know._

_I have heard a fair amount about what you’ve achieved, how you’ve been living, and though it is quite disappointing to see your lack of drive to strive for something better, which we’re both aware that you’re capable of, I at least can admit that you haven’t wasted all of the training that I made an effort to give you._

_Now I believe that maybe you have matured enough to see what is really in front of you. Child, you are the heir to our legacy, if you were to behave as it befits to that title, you could be much more, and I can’t stand to see so much wasted because of your childish resentment over something that I am willing to be graceful and pass off as a misstep in your way._

_You will come to the commemorative banquet on Saturday, this is an order, it is high time that you quit dreaming fool’s charades._

_I’ve provided you with something decent to wear, I expect you to look the way the heir to our family would._

_Sometime this month we shall meet, I trust you understand that there are things we must discuss, your successes at work are well and good child, but the way you’ve been living, leaves a stain on our family’s ways._

_Akagi Yoshino_

She’d expected nothing less than the veiled insults, for now however, it was better if she played nice, after all, the chance to fuck the woman’s holy _bloodline_ up was just around the corner, and so long as they could pull everything off without alerting Yoshino, it’d be a far harsher blow to the woman than anything else.

A weak gust of wind blew past her, as she gathered the fabric of the dress in her arms, and she noticed that whoever her mother had sent in had left her door open –and her window, the fuckers probably hadn’t cared much for anything but delivering _Yoshino-sama’s_ message-.

Reina got up and closed it.

Her eyes fell on the dress resting innocently in her arms.

At least it was pretty.

.

.

Reina stepped out into the balcony with a glass of whiskey and a cigarette in hand.

She’d come into the party, in the dress and heels and about a hundred silver bangles, hair pinned up in an elegant bun with strands framing her face.

The next hour had been making boring small talk and posing for photos beside Yoshino –the older woman herself was dressed in a long, skin tight long sleeved, backless black dress, that made it obvious just that Reina had not inherited her large bust and wide hips from her –Yoshino was slim and elegant, slightly taller than her. Her mother didn’t look a day over thirty, and she too wore her many scars with pride- whose approving gaze had been obvious when she had run towards Reina as soon as she had caught sight of her.

“Good, I see that you have taken my advice and dressed suitably “Had been the first words out of her mother’s mouth “I expect you will behave decently tonight” Her mother’s eyes –dark grey, just like hers- had shone dangerously.

There had probably never been a falser hug, but everybody else seemed to buy it –and Reina had borne with the disgust crawling under her skin-.

The banquet was not exclusively a CCG event, though large parts of the top brass were invited –though that had more to do with how much money battling a menace to all of humanity brought, that was also why Reina saw quite a few directors of private companies, CCG-related or not-  and Yoshino seemed to know at least half the people in the grand ballroom –that was another thing that Reina was just about completely uninterested din about being the family’s head- the air of self-praise and egotism that one could feel in the place was enough to leave a bad aftertaste in any normal person’s mouth.

Yoshino fit right in however, and in fact, the banquet that time around was unofficially in her honor.

Sighing, she downed what was left of her drink and proceeded to retrieve the lighter from her clutch.

“Oh, sorry” Someone spoke beside her “Is that a butane lighter?”

Reina lit up the cigarette with a flick of her wrist and looked up.

A man, taller than her even in the heels she was wearing, his hair was a silvery blonde that shone with the streetlights and his eyes were dark purple.

He was also looking at her in a very familiar way.

Well, that she was supposed to not draw attention to her plans to join the Quinx squad didn’t mean that she couldn’t piss her mother off at least just a little.

And he was handsome enough –there was also the fact that she had gotten a bit _too_ used to someone warm in her bed two or three times a week- his slight accent added a rather interesting quality to his voice.  

“It is” Reina smiled, eyeing the cigar in the man’s hand “need some help with that?”

The stranger smiled back “Gods yes, they’re almost impossible to light up with normal lighters.”

“Well, you got lucky, I guess” she said, and flicked the lighter open “I just find it hard to see how you can finish _that_ in one night”

He laughed, and his voice dropped an octave “It’s just a lot of practice, but it never hurts to have some help.”

This man wasn’t subtle at all, Reina smiled indulgently “I’m Nikolai, by the way, Nikolai Volkov” He smirked.

“Well, you do smirk like a wolf” His slightly surprised expression was delightful, he’d clearly not been expecting her to know what his last name meant right of the bat –she’d been young, but all together, Reina figured that she’d spent around five years in Russia- “I’m Reina, Reina Akagi”

Inadvertently, she flipped her name, distant times coming back to her all at once, though her face fell with his next words “Yoshino’s daughter?”

“Yes, though I’d be grateful if you didn’t call me that” she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and threw the dying cigarette over the balcony’s railing “In fact just call me Reina.”

“Reina it is then” he extended the hand with the cigar towards her, Reina stole a hit from it, without taking it from his fingers. “I was surprised, you two do not look that much alike”

“Nah” she said, as smoke seeped out of her mouth “We aren’t alike at all”

“But I’d say that’s good” He offered another hit “The shade of your hair looks enchanting, more than hers would”

“Thanks” well it was true, her mother’s auburn shade had never suited Reina, sometimes she was glad she had so many things of her father’s, wherever _he_ was – in his mansion in Spain with his wife and son, probably-.

The thick, tobacco smoke continued to curl around them, Reina looked out into the city, the view was quite impressive “Correct me if I am wrong, but” Reina’s head snapped towards him “You do not like Yoshino –san much do you?”

Reina laughed “We are that obvious?”

“No, rather, you two are very good actresses” He pursed his lips “But I’ve gotten around to know her well enough through business, and you do not seem like the kind of person who would like her”

“Nice, You’re a good judge of character “Reina leaned forward into the balcony “How is it that you’ve gotten to know her so well, what do you work for?”

Was he in CCG too? Reina doubted it, this man was graceful, his body seemed lean and toned, but not in the way that an investigator would be, and when her hands had brushed his earlier, she’d noticed how smooth they were aside from the smoker’s callus that he had.

“A few things, you could say” He smirked “My dad has his hands on the private investigation sector, mostly on Quinque development” well, that explained it “I have a bit of a real estate company, we’re just extending to Japan now, though, but we already have three finished projects” Another rich, spoiled kid –sort of, he was clearly older than her at least by five or six years-, well at least he was perceptive “You are continuing your family’s legacy, aren’t you Reina?”

“Yes, I am an Investigator, Currently Rank 3”

He scowled “And you’re how old?”

“Eighteen”

Nikolai had clearly not expected that response “Well then you are following in on your family’s footsteps. I feel like an old man in comparison”

“Actually, the standard for rank three is nineteen, or twenty, I just skipped a grade “She said “How old are you?”

“Twenty-seven” he said “But still, you’re impressive.”

“Thank you, I guess”  

Silence crept over them, Reina turned around to lean on the railing, and spotted her mother dancing flawlessly in her black dress.

In a way, she wondered if she was to inherit the woman’s luck with men, they all ended up either dead or estranged, and that made them, the ones left behind, bitterer people.

It made sense.

Nikolai was looking at her, the cigar surprisingly almost consumed in his hand.

“If you want to, I can let you see one of our new buildings, I’m living there for the moment too, perhaps we can have a drink?”

“You move fast, Volkov”

“Would you rather I did so slowly?” he said with a glint in his eye “I can’t help but go straight for what I want, be it a book, a cigar, or a beautiful woman”

“So long as you have some good _books”_ she emphasized the word “for me to look through at your place…”

He raised an eyebrow “In fact I do” he said, with a hint of humor to his tone. “I’m quite the reader.”

Reina chuckled “Are you serious?” she said, no longer flirting but serious.

He burst out laughing “I actually am, Reina, all innuendo aside”

“Well then we have something else in common” she smiled wider “And I coincidentally am quite a fan of Russian literature too”

“Tolstoi?”

“And Dostoyevsky, and Gogol” his eyes shone, and she continued “I’ve always fancied myself a bit of a Nastasya”

“Without the dreadful ending, I should hope”

“Well, so long as I don’t run into a Rogozhin”

“I’d say you’re far too strong to fall into the arms of a man like that” He stubbed what was left of the cigar out in the railing and moved away from the railing. “May I?”

His extended hand was what she needed then, she realized, and for the thousandth time, Reina had to remind herself that this was her life, hole in her chest –caused by something that wasn’t supposed to make her feel even a bit empty, dammit- and all, that she probably wasn’t destined for any ending of sparks and roses, and that in the meantime, while her demise prepared itself, she could enjoy the handsome Russians who apparently had fairly good taste in books.

Reina took his hand, and they walked regally in and out of the ballroom, she knew Yoshino’s eyes were upon them, but in that moment, that mattered less than the dirt under her feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little of Ayato, again, but I’m setting up some big things, trust me.  
> I’d love to know what you thought of it.


	11. Further

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Umm so, my real life attacked and that’s why this took so very long. This was also supposed to be a shorter chapter, (around 5k) but it sort of ran away with me.  
> This time, it was Buck-Tick

She was still a mystery then, even with her final words to him, he still hadn’t been able to understand her at all.

Ayato stood, two streets away, at the top of the building where he’d once found a small niche to watch Reina from.

The woman wasn’t even in the apartment anymore, he knew well, after about an hour, she had stumbled out of the front door and into her friend’s arms –the tall one he’d talked to at the club, he had no idea what her name was- said friend hadn’t even seemed to ask, apparently, this wasn’t all that unusual for Reina.

In fact, when looking at it from a more detached perspective, he did fit the mold for what he’d seen of the woman, if slightly longer lasting than any of the others that he had spotted her with –and that probably, was on account of him being a Ghoul, a bigger thrill than your run of the mill drug dealer or second tier yakuza-  before that weird thing had started.

Reina got bored eventually, she simply went out like a flame, and her dismissal had made it all the clearer, she’d been dispassionate and cold, not antagonistic, or defensive in any way, just… empty.

He knew that it was more than a little bit pathetic to dwell on things like that, then when everything was already over and she was probably already dragging some other guy around to entertain her, but for some reason, Ayato couldn’t help it. He didn’t want to kill her, not anymore, he didn’t even know if the desire would ever return, but the weird possessiveness remained and though resignation had uncharacteristically overcome him when she’d sprung her dismissal on him –all decked out in her little Dove suit, he had wanted to scoff- in a way, he didn’t want anyone else to have her, even if the want was of a different kind.

And that was where he stopped his mind in his tracks, he was thinking irrational things, things that could potentially drive him to his grave if he let them take control of his actions. Reina wasn’t any more than some pretty, empty woman -that she was a dove was non-withstanding, since he hadn’t treated her like he would have a dove from the second time that they had run into each other- but she was no one and nothing important.

He was somewhat glad then, that he had a little more than a week left in Tokyo before the Kyoto mission started, that would be a nice break, after much deliberation, he’d decided that Hinami wasn’t going, if only because she was one of the more empathetic members and while her heightened senses would have been plenty useful, they were headed towards a massacre –Eto’s suggestion of killing the leaders some way it wouldn’t cause a revolt wasn’t a suggestion at all and all of them knew it-, instead of her, he was taking Miza, some of her underlings and Naki. The latter had been more of a crutch since Eto had wanted him to take her newly broken pet for testing, but the thing was creepy and unstable enough that he was more likely to blow their cover than Naki himself.

Shachi hadn’t had any objections.

He took one last look at the window of the empty apartment and turned on his heel.

Kyoto would be nice, probably.

.

.

He may have been perfectly happy with the group he’d chosen, Hinami, however, wasn’t.

They were walking towards their rooms, she had started trying to get him to change his mind as soon as they’d left the meeting where he and Shachi had announced who’d join them in the mission.

“We’re supposed to figure out if they’ll be a problem, it makes sense that you should take me Ayato-kun” Her stubborn streak was starting to show more as time passed, as her eyes hardened just a little bit more.

“We’re not really supposed to figure out anything” He raised an eyebrow at her “You know that, right?”

Her face fell “Is there really no chance that you can carry out the merge without killing them?”

“Maybe” he paused for a moment, and her face brightened back up only to fall again at his next words “There would be one, but our orders are to kill them”

A shadow crossed Hinami’s features “All the more reason for me to go, they could be planning the same thing”

Ayato breathed in very, very slowly “They wouldn’t benefit from it, they’d only get underlings, not the Tree’s boss”

“Then that must mean there’s some good will” she said.

“Yes” Ayato said with a grimace, the sheep were inviting the wolves to their pasture. Though the Kyoto Ghouls weren’t anything to be scoffed at either, there was only one at most that was at his or Shachi’s level –Kyoto didn’t have as much CCG presence as Tokyo did, there hadn’t been enough pressure there to spawn such things yet- “But that doesn’t matter Hinami. I’m not leaving Naki in charge of hunting grounds, it would become a disaster.”

They reached his room, Hinami slipped in right behind him, it was normal for her to just invite herself in, at first, it had bothered him, but he had figured that that was what he got for befriending the younger Ghoul, who’d seemed clingy from the start.

“I’m sure there’s someone who can manage them”

_Stubborn woman_

“The only one who is available and has enough power is Eto’s new pet” He deadpanned “Do you think I can leave _him_ in charge of anything?”

The brunette averted her eyes, pity taking over her expression “No…” It wasn’t like the creature didn’t inspire pity even in Ayato, they had all heard the man scream himself hoarse under Eto’s _ministrations,_ but that didn’t change the fact that he was insane.

Maybe he brought some more tenderness out in Hinami because he was similar to what the bastard had once been –and Hinami had cried tears of both joy and bitterness for hours when it had been relayed to her what had become of the bastard after that last large scale raid-.

“You have to be careful then” she said, with renewed strength, seemingly resigned to the fact that Ayato wasn’t budging “You’ve been reckless lately, Ayato-kun”

“No more than usual” He plopped down on the bed, she sat primly on the edge.

“I heard about it” she said “yesterday…”

To be fair, he had gone a bit overboard. Three Rank twos had been a rather exaggerated meal for his usual amount, but really, he should’ve gone hunting the week before.

“It had been a while since I last went hunting?”

She turned to stare at him with a stern gaze “That’s odd Ayato-kun”

“Not much, I was busy”

 She hummed, leaning back “Well, you have been gone a lot at night lately”

Ayato froze, the tone of her voice was implying something “You noticed?”

She shrugged “I can smell all of you here” Hinami seemed to think over something really quickly “What do you do in the third?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Because there isn’t much for us to do there”

“Apparently there is, for you”

“I don’t think you’re also visiting libraries” She said dryly “You can trust me Ayato-kun”

“A real shame, that there isn’t anything to trust you with, then” And there wasn’t, it was over, it had been for a good few days where he had managed to restrain himself from even thinking much about it, though of course, Hinami had to bring it up.

Hinami’s lips pressed tightly and she looked away, irritated “I haven’t told anyone”

“You haven’t told anyone what, exactly?” He narrowed his eyes, did Hinami know about Reina in specific? he could believe that the younger Ghoul had been discreet about it, but he had been careful about getting in and out of Reina’s neighborhood.

The brunette took a deep breath and stood up, out of the corner of his eye, Ayato managed to catch the shadow of a blush on her cheeks though she was facing away from him “I could… smell it, a lot lately” she said, and in less than a second, he found heat rising to his cheeks too “I haven’t followed you, if that’s what you’re thinking, I just- “Hinami cut off the sentence there “But you haven’t smelt like that these past few- “

“Just- Forget it” he groaned, of course Hinami had to smell _that_ off of him –though it wasn’t surprising, Reina’s very cigarettes left a strong enough smell, and smoking wasn’t nearly the only thing they were doing- “It’s not going to happen again” he said, finally, throwing an arm over his face to cover the slight blush that he knew to have settled over his cheekbones and hating the slight tinge of bitterness in his tone.

“Oh…” She was probably looking at him again “I’m sorry”

“For what?” he said, feeling a bit confused.

By then, he had spent enough time around Hinami to know that she was smiling softly, even as she faced away from him and started walking towards the door “You know for what. Goodnight Ayato-kun”

“’Night”

Naïve girl.

There was nothing to be sorry for.

.

.

The people at the front desk had shot them suspicious looks, well, it wasn’t like they weren’t hiding behind the wrong impression that they gave off.

Their fakes were exceptionally well made, but Hinami looked a little too young regardless of what the cards said.

When they had been led up to their unnecessarily luxurious room, the hotel employee winked at him lewdly and Ayato had sort of wanted to eat his face.

Thankfully Hinami hadn’t noticed.

 _“There are a few rather_ interesting _people attending this thing”_ Eto had said _“And if that woman arrived ahead of schedule, there might be something useful we can learn from listening in”_

 _“Does this mean that the Kyoto mission is canceled?”_ He had said, already half knowing the answer.

_“No, Ayato-kun, but I do want you to take Hinami there and help her gather info”_

And so there he was, looking at the balcony in front of them, seeing a bunch of rich humans dancing through a telephoto lens –they were about half floor above the huge balcony’s level, and two streets away- in flashy dresses while Hinami immersed herself in their conversations.

The thing was barely starting and he was already wondering if he could just barge in and test this Special Class Akagi’s power –but they were in the first and it was risky for them to have even come to the hotel in the first place-, he had spotted her easily enough, she didn’t look like Reina per se –with red hair and a very slim frame- but they shared the eyes and the way that they walked, and then Hinami had confirmed that it was her that they were listening in on.

 _So long as_ she _doesn’t barge in there_

It was a reasonable thing to hope for, he decided, Ayato knew well how awfully they got along.

And then a flash of blue, caught his eye, all but bolting towards the special class investigator with the fakest smile that he had ever seen in her face

_I should have learned not to hope for her not to show up, it’s like summoning her, dammit._

It didn’t help that from the very first moment that he spotted her, he could tell how fake she was being, and how much hatred laid behind every classy flick of the wrist and elegant step –and also the fact that the dress truly made her look like an apparition, all pale skin, red lips and dark hair-.

Oddly, that helped with the frustration that he started feeling soon enough when Hinami’s quiet concentration and the city’s dying bustle around him began to feel suffocating. For some reason, knowing how much Reina was not the same person he’d come to somewhat appreciate, made it easier not to burst into the ballroom.

There was still some awkwardness, though, some annoyance in him that screamed out at the wrongness of the scene unfolding two streets away, and even the grievously focused Hinami was shooting his stiff form worried looks every once in a while.

The duration of these looks increased tenfold, however, when Ayato felt his muscles lock up and his jaw clench so hard it hurt.

Reina smoked quite often, he had not found it odd, in fact, it had relieved him a little to see the familiar tired expression as she leaned over the railing, cigarette in hand.

And then that man had appeared and a wave of rage had taken him by surprise, it wasn’t only the man’s clear motives and his confidence, it wasn’t even the fact that he was sharing a cigar with her and Reina was clearly playing his game.

It was that for those moments, it was _his_ Reina down there, no one else, she wasn’t using the masks that she used for anyone else, her genuine self was playing right into this _bastard’s_ hands –or was he playing into hers? - and that much felt far more awful than the mannequin he’d been watching before.

She looked alive.

Ayato growled.

“Ayato-kun, are you alright?” Chocolate brown eyes were peering up at him, Ayato didn’t know when exactly Hinami’s mind had come back from the divide between the two buildings, but he knew that he must have been terribly disruptive to drag her out from the trances which she usually entered when the young woman analyzed audio.

“…Yes” He said in a low voice.

“Do you know who the man Akagi is talking to is?”

Quickly, he bent over and readjusted the lens “Uh, isn’t he the one running for governor?”

“I thought so too” She said “Do you think they would collaborate?”

“They don’t seem like the kind” he looked away “All of them have their own interest in mind”

“She, especially” Hinami regarded him with stern eyes “She’s been making deals under the table all night”

He sighed “Well, that was to be expected” They had to keep at it until at least two, it was barely half past eleven, he was tired already “No way a person like that would come all this way for a daughter’s promotion” Hinami opened her eyes and stared at him expectantly “What?”

“Well, isn’t that just a supposition of ours?” He’d slipped up, yes, they had theorized on some of the investigators from the previous raid having been promoted out of season, but no one had known for sure.

Except for him.

And how he knew wasn’t exactly something that looked very nice.

“Yeah” He said “But it’s pretty likely don’t you think?”

“I… guess” Hinami closed her eyes once again “Actually, I think we could spy a bit on her daughter too”

“Suit yourself” He said coolly “So long as you don’t miss anything important from the special class”

“That one’s quiet, I think she’s dancing” he crouches over with the camera and snaps a picture, that is definitely another wealthy politician. Yoshino seemed as adept at playing around and manipulating people as Reina was, if not even more.

“She is”

“Hmm”

Another five minutes passed, their target kept dancing and whispering one or other thing in her partner’s ears, Hinami would tell him, eventually what that was; though he was left very bored for a while.

Quietly, he aimed the camera at the balcony.

They were still talking, he held a dying cigar, and Reina had leaned back into her elbows at some point.

They made a pretty pair, both pale and slender, he, far taller than she was, she, all carefully calculated curves and their hair contrasted like the night sky and the sun.

 _Jealousy is an irrational thing to feel for her_ he chastised himself _she’s just some woman._

He wanted to jump in and crush the blonde man’s bones to dust.

Annoyed, Ayato lifted his focus towards the still dancing Special class investigator, but it wasn’t very long until they were there too.

A smug smile adorned Reina’s face; while the man watched her with calculating, hungry eyes.

The expression in Yoshino’s face was priceless, at least, her eyes stopped showing the pretend cheer and dimmed down until they were only a hard gaze, and her lips retracted into something that looked more like a snarl than anything else.

He saw how the man that the older dove was dancing with flinched when her grip became too painful as her body became rigid.

Reina hadn’t been joking when she’d told him just how controlling Yoshino could be.

And yet that was a pretty nice vengeance –petty as it might have been-, the Special class couldn’t leave though she may have wanted to and Reina was already on her way with whom was probably some rich, daddy’s boy.

He wasn’t even really thinking of Hinami and his task there anymore when he shifted the camera to see them speed out of the parking lot, apparently headed towards the second or the fifth.

When his attention returned, he snapped yet another photo of Yoshino and some or other important person talking, he did his very best to ignore the -ever-present those days-  worried look that Hinami was giving him.

.

.

Early winter sunlight slid over the covers of his bed.

It had been four days since he’d been ordered to spy on Special Class Akagi Yoshino and about two weeks since he’d seen her daughter.

Maybe it was the fact that he was leaving for Kyoto a few hours later, that even with him and Shachi leading the mission; they were lunging headfirst into enemy territory with no immediate support available and a not so secret plan to assassinate the Kyoto organization’s leaders and secretly take over their subordinates. Maybe that was why that morning he couldn’t quite rid himself of the thought of Reina.

It wasn’t an overly sappy longing, yearning. No, it was more of an itch that would not disappear, a recess in the back of his head that insisted on reclaiming her as his despite that never having been the case.

If the whole thing had felt sappy and stupid he could’ve dismissed it as weakness, that would’ve been far easier to shut down than what was happening then. She felt like a bubble of her own aesthetic floating in his subconscious, refusing to burst, filled with smoke and warmth, blood red flowers and the heaviness of sleep.

Yes, it _was_ pathetic too, but not in the same way that weakness would’ve been.

Ayato huffed as he stared at the ceiling of his room, from the light outside, he still had a couple of hours before having to get up and go get himself ready for the trip.

Whatever stupid… thing that was taking over him, it had to end.

.

.

Kyoto was nice, as far as he was concerned, as far as he’d seen, at least, they’d arrived late enough that the city was a crowded sea of lights, of indistinguishable buildings –they were behind on schedule and had to visit the other group’s base before heading for their own hotel-.

In the dark, it looked no different from Tokyo.

They headed to the address where supposedly, the emissaries from the faction were waiting.

It turned out to be a grand Japanese style state on the outskirts of the city which was a relief, in a way, even if Kyoto did not have as strong a CCG presence as Tokyo –in most areas, at least- as a group, and even with their perfectly forged identities, they were pretty eye-catching and diverse. Since splitting up in unknown territory was the last thing that they wanted, it was something that they had to bear with.

The whole group stepped out of the truck and headed towards the door, immediately it was pulled open, revealing four Ghouls dressed in formal attire.

“The mistress will greet you, for now” the third from the right spoke “The master had to attend to something”

“I must remind you though, that each and every one of the people involved with this residence, Ghoul or human, is off limits for hunting” Said the one to his left.

Ayato stepped forward “Does that mean that you have humans as part of the house staff?”

“Indeed sir, a part of our staff is made out of humans. You must not worry, they are all loyal to the master, always have been”

“We’ll see” He said, thinking it over for a second “May I request that I and my companions are attended to by Ghouls only. As a measure of safety”

“That would be alright sir” the other Ghoul said “Now if you will follow us…”

The two Ghouls in the middle turned around and started walking towards the house, the entryway was lined with lamps and thick groups of tall trees grew on either side, though most of them were already bare of any foliage.

Ayato walked ahead with Shachi by his side, and the Aogiri group followed, tenseness was evident in the air. Ayato knew that he wasn’t the only one with his Kagune just ready to burst out from beneath his skin.

The estate itself got lost in the woods that surrounded it, they all entered, relieving themselves from their shoes at the door.

A lavish, well-illuminated interior greeted them, the wide and luxurious living room was occupied by a lone figure.

It smelled delicious.

The woman walked towards them, she was dressed in a formal kimono, complete with an elaborate Obi that tied in a disproportionate bow at her back. The very delicate, porcelain-like features were the first thing that he noticed, her appearance as a whole was quintessentially Asian with hair long and straight –most of it held back in an intricate hair-do-, black as night and with eyes to match it she was very slender and very tall for a woman. She looked to be around her mid-twenties, it was, however, difficult to tell, the woman held herself regally enough to give off the impression of having lived longer than that.

She was beautiful, and also undoubtedly human.

Suddenly he was very sure that the human staff wasn’t why they’d been warned off eating any humans in the propriety, in fact, Ayato would hazard a guess that one or two human maids wouldn’t be missed, but if so much as a hair was torn from that woman’s head, there would be hell to pay for the one who’d done it.

“Good evening, my name is Yamamoto Fumiko. It’s a pleasure to welcome you to our residence” her speech, too, was old fashioned and exceedingly formal, the woman walked towards him and Shachi “My husband cannot attend to you right now, so I will be presiding over the dinner that he has arranged” She was indeed, almost as tall as him. “You must be Kirishima-sama and Kamishiro-sama” She bowed “It is a pleasure that Aogiri has agreed to form an alliance with us”

She seemed aware of everything, not only their nature but also the more important details about Aogiri and such.

“We are honored” Shachi responded, his deep voice echoing off the walls as he bowed along with Ayato “Yamamoto-san.”

She smiled pleasantly “Please, follow me, our servants will take care of your belongings”

Barely seconds after she had said that, a bunch of servants, both Ghoul and human showed up from seemingly out of nowhere.

Ayato gave up his backpack to some random maid, it wasn’t like any of them traveled with much luggage, anything they might have needed, Aogiri’s rather abundant arcs would cover, and heavy luggage was inconvenient.

The woman led them down a couple corridors, all lavishly decorated and furnished until they arrived at a dining room with a U-shaped table and another smaller one placed in front of it.

She went inside first, gesturing to Ayato and Shachi to join her at the smaller table, where four seats and posts had been arranged.

 _The boss must really have been pulled away suddenly_ he though, taking a seat between the woman and Shachi himself.

“I apologize in behalf of my husband, he cannot be here tonight, his co-leader and some of our high ranking members will join us shortly, however,” She said once all of the Aogiri members were seated on one side of the table –since there were way too many spots on it”-

And again, as if the house and everyone within it obeyed her every word, about eleven shadows appeared outside of the door.

A tall, lanky man walked in first, his sandy blonde hair reached the bottom of his neck and despite not being very built, he had an air of power around him. Both him and the people at his back were dressed in traditional garbs, the underlings settled on the table while the man headed for the main table.

As soon as they came in, a bright smile took over the human woman’s face.

“Susumu…-sama” Just for a second as she spoke, it was like a mask slipped from her face, true gladness showed beneath, not calm and composed, but relieved and honestly ecstatic “Thank you for joining us” The formal, proper mask was on again soon enough though.

He smiled “Fumiko-san, as always, it is a pleasure” he bowed at her then turned towards Ayato and Shachi, a stoic expression slipping over his features “You two must be the leaders of the Aogiri group. I am Kurosawa Susumu co-leader of our organization” he bowed at them too, quite stiffly however.

Well, it seemed like at least one-half of the leadership wasn’t that keen on the alliance. Ayato stood up, not bothering to bow “Kirishima Ayato, my partner is Kamishiro Matasaka” he said gesturing towards Shachi.

“I am honored to meet you” he said, unflinching “However, I’d prefer it if we discussed business tomorrow with my partner present. For tonight, we have prepared a welcome dinner, so as to start our alliance in a good note” his sour expression said everything that was needed. “So without further preamble” The man signaled at one of the servants that stood by the door, and a few minutes of tense silence later they were being served with plates overflowing with meat.

To everyone’s surprise, the woman was served dinner too, it was, of course, not human meat, but a plate of sashimi and a small salad.

A small bottle of sake was served to each of them too, the woman poured herself a cup and spoke up, shooting an annoyed glance at her sulking companion “To our future alliance”

A few cheers were uttered, the air was still heavy, regardless.

Everybody dug in, a few conversations starting among the groups, out of the corner of his eye, Ayato observed the woman.

She ate calmly, crossing a few words with Kurosawa here and there. Her manners were impeccable but relaxed, and she seemed to pay no mind to the brutish way in which some of the Ghouls were eating.

Aside from very rare exceptions –mostly Reina- a normal human would never be that calm around such a large amount of Ghouls, true, the woman as married to one, apparently, but even without him by her side, she seemed to pay no mind to the fact that what their plates were filled with was the flesh of people of her species or the activated Kakugan that all of them wore.

He also noticed the tension between the woman and Kurosawa, the lingering looks and the small touches that they tried to hide, it was only barely noticeable, but it was there, held beneath the mist of a well-kept secret.

That was a good thing, though, if Ayato was reading them right, -Kurosawa and the woman- finding an excuse for eliminating the two leaders without people suspecting much would not be very difficult.

Dinner ended as tensely as it had begun and the Aogiri group headed out to their hotel.

.

.

The days passed and he learned more and more about the faction.

They were named Kagerou, led by Kurosawa and Yamamoto Nobu –the woman’s husband, whom they’d met the day after arriving at Kyoto-.

Nobu himself was a cheerful man –portly looking, he spoke far too loudly, and his beard went down to his chest, complementing the Edo-period look that his top-knot gave him-, apparently very in love with his wife who had to be at least fifteen younger than he. It had been his first and so far only veiled warning, no one was to touch her, in any sense of the word.

Ayato’s assumptions of Kyoto being relatively lax in vigilance resulted only partly true, while most of the city wasn’t as crowded with doves as Tokyo, some areas were just crawling with them, he was soon glad that Eto had given them a month to complete the task, since while the discussing of terms would’ve taken less than two weeks, both leaders were constantly pulled away by matters of raids or one or other dove getting too curious around their trail.

Kurosawa was clearly against an alliance though it was clear enough that they did need some help, and he wasn’t the only one.

Of the group that had come to their welcome dinner, about half shot the Aogiri executives looks as dirty as they dared whenever Nobu wasn’t in the vicinity –which wasn’t all that often, even if they were invited over to dine at the Yamamoto estate least every second day- it was a blessing that when Yamamoto had assigned both him and Shachi ‘guides’ –both female and rather beautiful, Ayato suspected that they had been told to seduce them, though his had never quite made the effort, despite Yamamoto’s many stern looks- it hadn’t been the smart-mouthed ones.

It was one of those nights, having lost sight of the Kagerou member that had been assigned to him –eh, she was tolerable enough, rather pretty too, her name was Nori. – Yamamoto had again been pulled away for some reason or other and dinner, this time, had been followed by coffee in an oversized sitting room.

They had been told to wander around all they wanted, within reason, of course.

The two groups were mingling better by then, even Shachi seemed to have come to like some of the members.

He walked outside, snow had begun coming down a couple of days before and he found himself sort of wanting a cigarette, or, at least, the taste of one.

To his left, in the small forest, he noticed a series of sounds, and shuffling, cautious, he took a few steps towards them.

He already had an idea, after all, he hadn’t seen either Yamamoto’s wife nor Kurosawa inside.

They were further than he’d thought, but after walking a couple dozens of meters, he glimpsed the couple through the foliage –embraced in a tangle of limbs, it was the very first time that he saw Fumiko less than composed, with her hair slightly messed up and the kimono slipping off her shoulders.

However, only that knowledge wouldn’t quite be enough, a lot could be altered with a little gamble, he knew –or so the little voice in the back of his mind that resembled Reina’s told him- that they seemed to be going to great lengths to hide this, and that Kurosawa was rather hot-blooded.

Ayato almost wanted to laugh, he stopped trying to hide his presence.

As he expected from the start, the other Ghoul heard him “Who’s there? Masato?” his kakugan activated, as the woman hurriedly composed her robes.

Oh, so others knew?

Calmly, Ayato stepped out of the bushes, he smirked “Forgive me, I was leaving”

He found himself held by the collar of his shirt soon enough, staring at a glowing Bikaku inches from his face. His own Kagune was out and ready to sink into the other’s neck in a second.

They sized each other up for a second, Ayato knew that Kurosawa was one of the stronger Ghouls in Kyoto, it would be interesting, the other man seemed to share this sentiment, beneath the desperation that was plain in his face” You sc- “

“Susumu” a feminine voice interjected “No”

“He’ll talk- “

“Let me speak to him,” Yamamoto Fumiko said, talking with the greatest of composures to a creature that could snap her in half in a second. “Please”

The other man let go of Ayato and backed away, his Kagune still out. “There is no need, Yamamoto-san. I understand.”

” But please, listen to me Kirishima-sama” she said “If you were to tell anyone about this- “

He just looked at her a she cut her off “It is none of my business” Ayato began to turn away when something tugged on his arm.

She was looking at him with wide, pleading eyes, and yet, he could see that there was some calculation behind it, the way she pressed her body against his arm, even the angle at which she held her face and the slight hunch of her back to seem smaller.

It was an act, a good one, at least, the whole helplessness thing.

When Kurosawa huffed indignantly at her, he knew that the other man was aware of it too.

She was beautiful, and she knew it, she knew that because of it, she held a small amount of power that she knew how to use, and she would rather keep the peace.

Ayato had seen better manipulators in action –had known them, _her,_ well- but things were playing to his advantage.

He pretended to be taken aback “I haven’t seen anything” Ayato shook her off and almost immediately parried a jab from Kurosawa’s Bikaku with ease. There wasn’t much force behind it.

 “If you so much as dare to open that mouth, I will kill you” He said.

Ayato didn’t even turn around, he smiled to himself “Like I said, I didn’t see anything”

.

.

Late that night, as he idly surfed the stupid programs that humans put out –something that was most likely gas explosion had killed a millionaire in Tokyo a week before, cheesy soap operas and some cartoons which he ended up leaving for background noise- he felt the presence settle itself across the street.

It was pretty obvious.

From the next day onwards Kurosawa was fidgety and jumpy around everyone, especially Yamamoto, and it showed, not only to him but to everyone else.

He told Shachi of what they’d do as soon as he could ditch the Ghoul following him.

Neither of them was too keen on it, it was a foul move, but such were the orders, and so long as they could make it seem like an internal conflict…

Besides, everything was going accordingly.

.

.

Yamamoto Fumiko asked him to have coffee with her a few days later.

They met in some random café as far from the estate as they could.

She wore normal clothes for once and hid her silky black hair with a short blond wig.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, she smiled and looked at him sternly “I am… very thankful for you keeping your silence, Kirishima-san” the change in honorific wasn’t unintended, it was pretty obvious.

“Like I said, it’s none of my business” he said “Though if you were trying to keep it secret, that was a careless move”

She flushed and looked away “Some of Susumu’s men watch over us most of the time, we didn’t think- “

“That they’d be distracted?” he said with a smile, this made things easier.

“Exactly” she said, leaning forward.

Ayato sipped at his coffee “You can never lower your guard” he said “Even a woman like you who is calm even in the midst of a bunch of creatures feasting on human flesh”

Fumiko looked up and smiled sadly “Well I never had much of a choice” she lamented “My poor father married me off to a friend of his on his deathbed. It must never have crossed his mind that Nobu was a Ghoul” she looked down at her hands “He told me on our wedding night, but he has been good to me”

A little prompting and she had spilled “I see, and of course, then Kurosawa appeared”

“Mhmm” She looked up at him, helplessness coating her face, it was as much of an act as it was real anguish that she showed “And I fell in love. I know you have already said that you won’t say a thing, but if there’s anything I can do for you or your teammates to compensate- “

“It’s fine” He said “Though personally, I think it’s foolish of you to remain by him, as I have said, it is none of my concern”

“What do you mean?” She said, interested now.

“Your husband will probably kill him if he ever finds out if you two were smart about it; you’d be over the hills by now” a strange light shone behind her eyes then though it was quickly extinguished by resignation.

“Even if we could escape” she said “I’d be leaving all that my father left me, behind”

Ayato had to remind himself that he was playing a role then, or his next words would’ve been different “Are those things that important?”

“Well…” The woman was playing with the edge of her dress “Maybe n- I don’t think we could”

Ayato smirked “Well, I guess that’s _your_ business” he said, and threw some coins on the table “I’m leaving now”

“Wait, Ayato-san” She yelled after him, yanking him back down on the table, thankfully the place was almost empty “Do you really think he would kill Susumu?”

He shrugged “Probably. Anything else?”

“Just one thing” she all but whispered “What would you do, if you were in my place?”

“I’d leave him” he said simply “Or I’d leave _with_ him, I wouldn’t stay like this when…” something fit into place “My actions could get him senselessly killed”

Ayato stood up again; and left the woman on the table.

Her determined expression told him that he had probably done what he was supposed to, but a lot of other things were now swirling in his mind.

.

.

Oh, the way home, still with Susumu’s Ghoul at his back, he called back to report to Eto, the woman answered in a voice that was barely a whisper.

“Shachi-san has told me already” She said “Nicely done, Ayato-kun” she seemed slightly out of breath, probably from making another of her twisted puppets. “Now for the benefit of that friend of yours “Her voice rose to a normal volume “How are the details of the merge going”

“Kurosawa has decided…”

It truly was a shame, but one couldn’t help but to admire the carefully arranged disaster that was soon to unfold.

.

.

He had a room to himself at the hotel –so did Shachi, the rest shared in pairs, except for Naki who had declared upon arriving that he wouldn’t sleep anywhere without Gagi and Guge, it hadn’t bothered anyone much- upon arriving, he opted for throwing on a pair of sweatpants and cranking up the heat.

Ayato had long since liked to sleep shirtless, but winters were challenging for that kind of thing, and though the Aogiri base did have central heating, it was general to all the facility and no one appreciated having it at twenty-eight Celsius degrees.

The bed sunk pleasantly beneath his weight.

It was already almost dark out though he figured it must’ve been around five at most, his meeting with Fumiko hadn’t run very long; it was for the best.

Though it had given Ayato quite a lot to think about.

It was just a silly supposition, but it fit in with some of the more out of character moments of Reina’s, and it also wasn’t like Yoshino didn’t have a reputation of being ruthless and terrifyingly perfectionistic even towards her closest associates.

He couldn’t imagine then how she probably was with a daughter that had more than once stated to him that the woman was obsessed with the family’s bloodline.

Of course, for a normal human, a dalliance with a Ghoul –while they knew that the other was a one of course- meant jail, for an investigator it would have meant a downright scandal, he imagined, though he had never heard of such a thing happening before.

And for that woman’s child, any kind of relationship that her mother considered beneath her family’s status…

Reina had once mentioned a fiancée.

_No, that’s too far-fetched, a mother wouldn’t…_

And indeed, it made very little sense.

Despite this, he could see how once Yoshino was back in town, Reina would be watched from many more angles and if the woman was as devoted to her lineage as Reina had made him believe; then knowing that her daughter had so much as sort of befriended a Ghoul, not to say slept with him in multiple occasions, then she probably would have hunted him through hell and heaven.

Those were just conjectures, though, Reina had no real reason to protect him, an enemy and while the woman had more than once proved that she very often did things without more reason than passing flights of fancy, that was downright putting her skin on the line for him.

The strange, bitter warmth pulling at the bottom of his throat was unsettling in itself

 _So what if_ maybe _she cut it off to protect me_ he thought to himself _It isn’t even likely, and even if it was the case, what do_ I _care?_

True, there was a draw to see her, to be with her but nothing further than what had happened had ever been so much as possible between them and no matter what, he knew that they had both been very aware of that one fact.

_Even if- No._

He shut off the thought, crushed it with all of the mental strength he had, and continued to do it as the light that penetrated the room turned from lilac to blue-violet to dark blue and finally darkness took over completely, only interrupted by the faint light from the streetlamps way below his room.

At some point, an annoying whirring started somewhere that seemed far away.

After four rings, he realized that it actually was the hotel phone, a call from reception, not something very usual since he’d asked not to be disturbed and never really asked for room service.

He lifted the receiver “Hello”

He could imagine that the receptionist had flinched at his harsh tone “Hello sir, I’m sorry to bother you, there’s a young lady here to see you.”

“Nori” said a voice far away.

“Miss Nori, should I allow her up?”

The ‘guide’ that he had been assigned by Nobu, what would _she_ want? “Yes, let her up”

He stood up, fetched a shirt from some nearby chair and just in case, readied his kagune.

A couple of minutes later there were a couple of timid knocks of the door.

When he opened it, the younger woman smiled, though her cheeks were tinged with pink.

Nori was a short, curvaceous woman, around twenty-two or twenty-three if he had to hazard a guess, her light brown hair reached down to the small of her back in tight ringlets and her eyes were a dark gray.

“Ayato-san”

“Does Yamamoto need me for anything?” There wasn’t much of a point in stalling, he figured.

She seemed taken aback “No” the woman looked away “I just- “she threw a distrustful look at the hallway “May I come in”.

He had a feeling that he knew why she was there. Wordlessly, he stood to the side, and she herself closed the door.

“I heard about what you did for the mistress”

“Well it seems it isn’t much of a secret then” he said dryly, turning his back on her and walking further into the room.

The woman seemed to hesitate “I and some of the others are close to her, and… to Kurosawa-sama” The inflection in her voice, told him everything, even without looking at her, it was plenty obvious what she felt towards him.

“Was that who told you to come here?” He said.

“No”

Ayato turned around “Then what are you doing here?”

The woman was propped up on the old fashioned dresser, popping her hip to one side and staring at him with hooded eyes that held dilated pupils.

_Grey eyes- FUCK focus._

“I know what you’re thinking, it isn’t like that” she said huffing “I’m here of my own free will” she took off her jacket to reveal a wide-necked shirt that emphasized her curves nicely “You could consider it a gift from me”

“You do this for anyone who’s nice to your _Kurosawa-sama_?” he asked as she walked towards him, swaying her hips slightly.

Surprisingly, she laughed “No” she was almost three feet from him when she suddenly turned to her right and started walking in that direction instead “In fact, at first Yamamoto-sama had ordered both Emi and me to seduce you guys, tie you down in a way; but we both refused and Fumiko-sama made him give it up” The woman started circling around him “I’m not doing this because anyone has ordered me to” she leaned in “Or because of some misguided sense of retribution” Nori was standing on the tips of her toes, whispering right into his ear “I just like you, Ayato-san, and I think we have something in common”

“Oh, and that would be?” he smirked sardonically, what was that girl playing at?

Her fingers slid up his side “Sometimes when you look in my eyes I remind you of something, don’t I?” she said and Ayato froze “I’m good at reading people “But she must be to you like he is to me”

Again, he laughed, it was true that her eyes were almost the exact same color as Reina’s, but they lacked the distrustful, hardened expression that was scarce even in a Ghoul. “You are way off the mark”

She pouted “You can lie to me all you want” The hand slid up even further “So what do you say?”

Fumiko had probably run right into Kurosawa’s arms as soon as she’d gone back, told him everything, and this girl had been watching in the sidelines, or something like that. He didn’t really care for the details, but that was probably what had happened.

It wasn’t like he the situation didn’t affect him, if only just a little, there was no need for him to take her offer, but there was no need for him to not do so either.

It was a good stress reliever, and if she was just an exceptionally gifted liar and someone _had_ ordered to go there and make sure he was satisfied, he wouldn’t have them breathing down his neck as much –her tying him down to Kagerou was out of the question anyways.

Ayato didn’t particularly feel any attraction to that one woman, but it probably went both ways.

In the end, an image flashed in his brain, an image he’d thankfully not snapped the shutter at two or three weeks before when he’d seen it.

Two people in the balcony.

She had been beautiful, blue suited her.

He turned around in a flash and all but crushed his lips to the other Ghoul’s.

.

.

Two weeks later, the stage was set, and so were the actors.

Everyone had witnessed Kurosawa acting fidgety and annoyed and avoiding both Yamamoto and his wife, while she had started acting distant from her husband, leaving the estate for extended periods of time with her female guardians.

Yamamoto was starting to worry, to act jealous.

Of course, the Aogiri group acted surprised –after all, only Ayato and Shachi knew of the orders to get rid of the bosses and had been lucky enough that crafting a convincing stage would not be very hard- as they continued their labors and finished drafting up the finer details of the alliance.

Fumiko herself had taken to inviting Ayato over for coffee, though they always wound doing so in silence after the exchange of minimal pleasantries, she never told him anything though she always looked upon him with grateful eyes and her attitude made him believe that things were going according to plan, maybe even better than he expected.

Nori showed up at his hotel another two times though the last one Ayato turned her away. The sex itself wasn’t bad, but after the second time she showed up, he found himself sick of her, wishing for something else –wishing for Tokyo maybe, for this damned revolting job to be over, for Hinami and Rei- Touka, maybe-.

The woman hadn’t taken it badly, just laughed and made some quip about the woman that she was sure, he loved as much as she did Kurosawa –she was wrong, but Ayato didn’t bother correcting her, after all, it wouldn’t matter what she believed soon enough-.

And so, the day came when the alliance would become official, the Aogiri executives were supposed to leave the next morning –all but Miza who would stay to oversee things- and the plan was to be put in action that night.

Ayato found one of Miza’s subordinates and gave her the notes that she was to stealthily deliver to both Kurosawa’s apartment in the city –hadn’t been hard to find- and Yamamoto’s study.

The direction in both was an abandoned warehouse, not that far from the estate, the hour was three in the morning.

Yamamoto’s was signed by Ayato and Kurosawa’s by Yamamoto –getting the signature had been a pain, good thing one of Miza’s subordinates knew of a good human forger- and his subordinates had been ordered to destroy them as soon as the two men left them anywhere, and if they never did, Ayato and Shachi would take care of that at the warehouse.

He’d take Kurosawa, and Shachi would take Yamamoto.

And in the morning, Shachi would disappear and Ayato would take over.

The martial artist’s grievous look gave Ayato a feeling that while he regretted having to twist around so many webs of lies, he was glad that they were going to fight them themselves.

At the mansion, a feast awaited, they toasted to their alliance and ate, again with Fumiko and one of her dainty human dishes, enjoyed in the midst of human meat. “To Kirishima-sama, and Kamishiro-sama, let this alliance last” Yamamoto had bellowed with all of the strength of his undoubtedly massive lungs.

Ayato was almost regretful for what he was about to do to a woman who had grown so accustomed, so accepting of Ghouls that she’d fall for one and eat in their midst.

But work was work.

As they were leaving, Miza’s subordinate confirmed to have just delivered Kurosawa’s letter and that Yamamoto’s had already been read, and subsequently discarded and destroyed.

The van left through the usual path, and took a left as soon as they were unwatched and out of sight, it dropped Ayato and Shachi a few kilometers shy of the warehouse.

It was nine, they had time.

His phone vibrated inside his pocket

_Sumi_

_Number 2’s note has been read, should it be discarded?_

According to plan.

His reply was short

_No_

“This is most dishonorable” his companion muttered.

Ayato leaned back into the crumbling wall “It’s not like this is the first time Shachi-san”

“We’re setting a trap on two honorable men” The taller Ghoul said.

Ayato shrugged “If they are strong enough, they’ll get out of it” they both knew that was unlikely.

Shachi looked fondly at him, the man had been his mentor for a while, while he wasn’t happy with Ayato’s occasional bout of cannibalism, he kept him in high regard “You’re right about that kid” He too leaned back against the all “I can tell you aren’t happy with this either”

“The boss is the one that likes intrigues” Ayato responded “I’d much rather straight up fight. I would have if she hadn’t wanted to not cause a stir”

“With this group, it would have cost us half the manpower “Shachi pointed out.

Ayato sighed “I know”

Despite everything, Kagerou was tight and stuck to their leaders, who were some of the strongest Ghouls in Kyoto to boot.

Hours passed.

At half past two, the screen of his phone lit up again.

_Targets on the move._

If all went well, they’d be back in Tokyo by sundown the next day.

The two men arrived at the warehouse at almost the same time, Kurosawa was barely inside when Yamamoto crossed the door.

“Susumu”

“Nobu, what did you- “

One look was enough, each pounced on their designated target.

“You bastards” Yamamoto screamed as Shachi rained blows down on him, taking out his kagune much sooner than he usually would’ve –it was after all, because he had a Bikaku, the same kind of kagune that Kurosawa had, that the plan had become so easy to formulate- the first gash across Yamamoto’s chest appeared shortly after.

Ayato rained down shards onto his enemy, Kurosawa’s Bikaku was unable to deflect them all, and one of them went deep into his leg.

He did, however, manage to get a good stab on his abdomen.

Ayato wasn’t all that worried, he’d had to indulge Eto on a little strengthening before leaving and it was nothing compared to an arm.

Wanting it to be over as soon as possible, he wrapped his wing around his arm and thrust forward, piercing through the other’s shoulder with an ease that almost amazed him.

A quick look at Shachi and Yamamoto showed that the latter was quickly bleeding out from a hole in his chest.

And then someone screamed.

A woman.

None of them had noticed her before, trapped in the heat of bloodlust as they were, but she was undoubtedly there, in a white and blue sleeping kimono, shaking like a leaf.

“Fumiko” both Yamamoto and Kurosawa said almost at the same time.

The situation was clear enough, but she still asked “What’s going on?”

“It is as you see, Fumiko-san,” Shachi said, parrying a heavy blow from her husband’s kagune.

“What the hell are you doing, idiot, get out of here!” Kurosawa yelled as blood ran down his chin.

“Nobu wasn’t in bed, and I called you…” her voice died down.

“Go back love, get the money from beneath the bed and leave” Yamamoto was holding onto his shredded side, he was done for, it was just a question of a fatal blow.

“I’m not going to leave without you” she didn’t specify who.

A flash of green caught this eye, and Ayato ducked just in time before Kurosawa’s Kagune pierced right through his skull. In retaliation, he turned the wing that was currently forming a sword back into shards.

It was a point blank shot.

Kurosawa’s body was shot back a few meters, he landed sprawled, twitching on the floor, clearly still alive but grievously injured.

A white blur soon appeared, running towards the fallen man.

Tears fell from the woman’s beautiful face as she cradled him in her arms “Please let us go.” She said “We’ll disappear, just…”

Scandalized, Kurosawa opened his eyes “Dear, we can’t-“

“We can” she insisted “We can leave right now, we don’t have to wait for January, we can go” the woman pressed a delicate kiss to his forehead “I can’t live if you die here”

“What’s- what is this?” A voice bellowed from behind Ayato.

Face flushed and panting, holding his side as his Kagune gleamed around his arm, Yamamoto was observing the scene wide-eyed.

Fumiko lifted her face from Kurosawa’s and her eyes fell on Yamamoto’s form like it was the first time in the whole fight that she realized that he too was there.

She closed her eyes tight “I’m so sorry Nobu” more tears fell to the ground and she clutched Kurosawa tightly as she helped the other get on his feet “So, so sorry”

The betrayal and devastation on the man’s face couldn’t be measured.

“You have to run love” Kurosawa said, pushing her lightly once he had recovered his balance “I can’t leave, but you have to go”

“No” she tried to pull him, but her arms would never have enough force for that, not when he was a Ghoul and she a human. “Susumu”

“You two- “Yamamoto’s body started moving forward, with clumsy, quick steps, ignoring now Shachi and Ayato’s presence “How could you?”

“Leave!” Kurosawa screamed and shoved the woman as far as his arms would allow him. Fumiko fell a few feet away, clutching her arms with an expression of pure fear in her face. The blonde man puffed out his chest and stared straight at Yamamoto “I’m Sorry, Nobu I really am, but I love her”

“She’s my wife” Steady steps, each time Yamamoto grew closer to Kurosawa. He turned towards the woman “Tell me you don’t love him, tell me it’s not true” She looked away.

It had never been Ayato’s –or Shachi’s- intention to reveal the affair, but quickly, the excuse they’d planned to present the rest of the organization with, was becoming true.

“It is, I love Susumu, I’m sorry”

Yamamoto’s steps became steadier, his body picked up speed and hurled towards Kurosawa, Koukaku ready around his arm.

The blonde man braced himself, Bikaku taking a stance at his shoulder, clearly shipped away, having lost much density.

And then blood washed over the ground in every direction possible.

The Bikaku’s tip peeked out from the back of Yamamoto’s skull, and the Koukaku attached to Yamamoto’s arm that had already started to disintegrate had gone through Fumiko’s torso and almost through Kurosawa’s.

It didn’t take an expert to know that the three were dead.

The woman must’ve known that her body would have never withstood the force, as well as the fact that Kurosawa was more than likely going to die even if he managed to move, which he hadn’t even planned on doing, one could deduce from his stance.

Maybe that was why instead of throwing herself in front of Kurosawa, facing her husband, she had chosen to throw herself facing Kurosawa, with her arms around his neck.

The three bodies hit the ground.

Ayato turned away, the note that he was supposed to stuff in Yamamoto’s kimono no longer had any reason to exist.

His eyes met Shachi’s sorrow-filled face and he understood.

Neither had wanted to involve the woman.

With bloody fingers, he pulled out his phone

_Sumi_

_Change of plans, come to the scene, bring Aku, clean up any remains of my kagune_

Without looking back at the grim scene, the two men headed out of the warehouse, the car was waiting two blocks away.

.

.

Everything turned out better than they expected.

The next day someone had dropped by questioning them about their leaders, and since both Ayato and Shachi had made a point out of going out of the window instead of checking out the day before, hotel staff confirmed their presence at the hotel.

Kagerou was in a frenzy, looking for their leaders until someone went to Kurosawa’s apartment.

Later on, someone showed Ayato the note, talking about how the scene they found was horribly sad.

He pretended to be at least slightly fazed by the whole thing.

Everyone believed it easily enough, the many that had known about Kurosawa and Fumiko’s affair filled in the gaps of what had happened nicely and the story sounded very plausible even to Ayato, who knew full well how much of a lie it was.

They had planned on making it like Yamamoto had asked Ayato to help him get rid of the man taking his wife away, it had been the most believable thing since Shachi had a Bikaku, just like Kurosawa. Fumiko’s appearance had been wholly unexpected, but it had provided a much better story where neither of them got involved.

He was walking out of the state when someone grabbed him by the hair and pulled Ayato roughly backward.

“You bastard” A familiar voice said “It was you, wasn’t it? You told Yamamoto-san”

“What would that benefit me in, Nori” He said, voice cold “Didn’t a good few people know anyway?”

“I know- “His hands found her middle and Ayato threw her a few meters to the left

“Learn to speak to your superiors” He walked off, under her hateful gaze

They had to stay behind for an extra day, now having the upper hand, they accepted a new representative of Kagerou to take back to Tokyo and left Miza all but in charge of Kyoto, she’d know what to do from there.

It was sad and awful, seeing how easily people could be played.

Three hours later, Ayato arrived in Tokyo.

.

.

At the base, the first random subordinate that passed him got tasked with handing in his report to Eto.

Ayato wasn’t much of a fan of writing, usually reporting back orally, but having to recount the events of the past month would’ve taken long and seeing as he had manipulated a fair lot of people in a rather distasteful manner, he preferred to submit it that way and save himself Eto’s delighted expression.

Upon entering he had felt very tired, but after twenty minutes in his room it started feeling like the walls were closing in and suffocating him –never mind that outside was winter in all of its glory.

The unpleasant thoughts flying around inside his head didn’t help either, nor did the irresponsible, irrational desire that had been nagging at him since he had stepped out of the bullet train.

_I guess one look wouldn’t kill me_

 Not bothering with the doors, he snuck out of the window.

The third was pretty far, but Ayato had time.

He walked, almost as if giving himself the chance to back out at any second.

He didn’t.

.

.

By the time, he found himself in his little niche again it was already night.

Stubbornly, h fixated his eyes on the windows in front of him.

Still, there were no lights on in Reina’s apartment, though the window was open and the curtains drawn.

Exhaustion from the trip was creeping in on him, the whole situation felt so much like routine, but he couldn’t allow himself to go lie in the fire escape, at risk of seeming pathetic.

So Ayato laid there, head lolled to one side as the building in the distance became blurrier by the second.

The next day, he woke up at around ten, pretty sure his nose was frozen. In a half-asleep state, he shot one last look at the apartment, not really registering what he saw.

Back at the base and in his room, his mind finally presented him with a couple of ideas.

_The window and the curtain were untouched_

_It’s winter._

_She never came home_

 He didn’t know why it was so upsetting, but it was.

.

.

That same afternoon he was woken up by a rather annoyed presence in his room.

“You don’t even tell me when you’re back”

It was obviously not Reina. “Should I?”

Hinami sat at the foot of his bed, hair in a tiny ponytail; her hands held a rather thick book. She shrugged “When you’ve been in another city for a month and haven’t even bothered to call, I’d think so”

“’t was an easy mission” he said sleepily.

She shifted her eyes “So I heard”

.

.

Two days later he went way out of his way while hunting, it was the first time he felt hungry since leaving Yamamoto’s house with its excessive human meat feasts.

He liked to believe that he had ended up in the third by accident, and so, swinging by felt like a natural progression of something.

The window was still untouched, a lot of snow had probably fallen in already and the curtain was stiff with frost.

On the way home, he passed by his sister’s café.

Touka seemed to be doing fine, her smile was sad, reminding him a bit of Hinami’s but the little shop was full and Yomo was staring at her fondly from his spot on the bar.

They all found their paths, he guessed even if some feeling remained between people.

Two blocks down the road, and after making sure that there were no bloodstains on him from his meal, he ducked into a tiny coffee shop –again, ordering the first random pastry in the menu- this particular café seemed to be for older people, he guessed from the décor and the tiny tv above him that was broadcasting the news.

Ayato let himself get a little lost in his own thoughts.

_Month anniversary… gas explosion… Investigative department._

 His eyes were drawn to the screen, he faintly remembered hearing about it while in Kyoto. The top floor of some soon to be luxury hotel had exploded, killing the proprietary.

It was most likely a gas explosion, but for some reason, the police saw it fit to investigate.

Or they had, apparently that morning they had finally come out with an official statement.

A short, man with as much white in his hair as there was black stood in a podium with a serious expression.

_‘A month ago, the top two floors of the new Midnight hotel exploded.’ He cleared his throat ‘Upon revising the premises the corpse of Nikolai Ivanovich Volkov, 27, Russian Nationality, owner of the building was found. Our department decided to open an investigation since abnormal movements had been observed near Mr. Volkov’s building, as well as the fact that the security tapes had been completely obliterated and there were inconsistencies with the time at which certain events were supposed to have happened’ The man looked away, the embarrassment on his face plain to the sight ‘It is today however that we release our official statement, despite the fact that there are multiple inconsistencies, everything points at the explosion having been caused by a gas leak. May Mr. Volkov rest in peace’_

The screen cut again to the news anchor, who said a few solemn words about the young entrepreneur who had lost his life in an unfortunate incident.

The name rung a bell in Ayato’s mind though he couldn’t quite recall-

A photo came up on screen, and it clicked.

.

.

Later on, pacing around his room, he pondered on how the whole thing was stupid and he was overreacting, both because no one had mentioned anything about a second body in the penthouse and because why should he care if the last person he had seen Reina with was now a charred corpse.

He climbed out of the window, again.

.

.

Ayato wandered around the city until it was late enough that no one who wasn’t crazy would’ve been asleep.

As soon as he was sure that it was past three am, his feet took him back to the building he knew all too well, climbing the treacherous steps –especially so now when they were covered with ice-  easily.

The window and the curtain were frosted over, and untouched.

Before anyone could spot him, Ayato slipped inside.

The carpet was full of ice, in fact, various surfaces were frosted over and the room was messed up into infinity. There were several sets of muddy footsteps, marking the once immaculate carpet, but Reina had never worn shoes inside unless she had just come in or was about to go out.

In the huge mess that reigned, which clearly evidenced that someone had looked through the place, it was hard to see, but a few things were missing.

He could tell because he knew the place.

The wardrobe’s doors had been shoved open and where the line of hangers had been fully occupied only about half of the dresses remained, a few pairs of shoes were missing too. The open drawers of the dresser were filled with obvious holes where things had been hurriedly taken, no bags remained on the hangers, nor did her ballet shoes –he had never seen her wear them-, and none of her jewelry was there.

Almost none.

Something small glittered on the floor, behind the nightstand where she’d always leave it when she wasn’t stuck in the past enough to wear it.

The engagement ring shone maliciously as if telling him that it knew it all, that it had seen her leave disappear, that it knew why she wasn’t there and why it had been left behind.

The power outlets where her chargers usually were; were empty, he noticed, and the laptop wasn’t there either.

Ayato walked deeper into the apartment.

There footprints everywhere, and by the front door, there were remains of CCG tape.

The windows of the kitchen often left open so the beast could get out whenever it wanted were shut tight.

Ayato almost flinched, expecting the cat to pounce on him any second, but there was no one, nothing, in the dusty kitchen, even Reina’s little beast had disappeared, not even its food bowls remained.

A section of the counter shone more than the rest, someone had written in the dust with their finger in a bubbly script.

_Rei-chan come back soon._

 And then below it in a harsher font.

_You better, you fool._

 It was clear enough.

Akagi Reina had run away.

It had probably been Yoshino or the new Dove responsibilities, or maybe she had finally decided between throwing herself off a cliff or taking the chance and actually starting a life somewhere else.

Hell, for all that Ayato knew, the Russian’s death had driven her over the edge.

Had she left a day after he saw her in that balcony? A week?

It couldn’t be more, CCG had clearly been there a while before, but they always watched potential crime scenes for at least two weeks.

Though maybe they had not treated this as such, it was clear that she had run away.

Ayato turned around and left the way he’d come, but not before pocketing the small silver ring.

.

.

“Ayato-kun, would you help out Naki-kun with those pesky investigators in the twelfth tomorrow?” They were sparring again, Hinami sat uncomfortable as Ayato dodged strikes from Eto’s rabidly laughing new pet.

He shrugged “If you want me to”

The green haired woman nodded “You`ve gotten stronger too. I’d say that you’re at Taki-chan’s level” she gestured towards the creature. When Ayato didn’t react indignantly at the comparison, she frowned. She raised her hand, gesturing at them to stop “Is something wrong, Ayato-kun?”

He had slept awfully for the previous three –four? - nights, but she didn’t need to know “Nothing”

“Oh…” Eto frowned “You can go now”

He didn’t complain as he went back to lie on his bed.

Again, nightmares found him easily.

.

.

Her apartment wasn’t even under surveillance, he scoured every strategic point around it, but there were no CCG men.

Naki’s little problems hadn’t taken them very long, the large meal hadn’t settled his stomach, though, and soon enough he’d found himself outside of Reina’s building again.

Ayato didn’t know what had seized him, she had chosen to leave, finally done something for herself, big deal.

He headed back to the base.

.

.

The corridors and the mess hall were unexpectedly nigh empty, sure it was very late, but it wasn’t as if being a Ghoul allowed for a human’s schedule of sleep and meals.

Ayato quickened his pace and headed for Hinami’s room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any guesses as to where Reina is? Nothing of her in this chapter, but there’ll be lots in the next one (probably?).  
> As always, I’d love to hear what you think.


	12. Execution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise chapter!   
> Oh I don’t think I’ve mentioned this, but I’m not a native English speaker so forgive the weird grammar.

 

The way cycles worked had always been rather fascinating to her, soon enough two weeks had gone by since the day she had broken off whatever it was with Ayato, and one since she had met Nikolai.

The key slid into its slot with ease and the door opened.

She left her Quinque beside the shoes.

She walked through the latter’s apartment, divesting herself of the stuffy office garments as she went.

Two days before, the notice had come –along with a call from her mother that had mostly consisted of that her colourful insults- she had been declared independent.

The surgery was programmed for the week after the following.

Nikolai had actually been the very first one who had told her to just go for it as soon as she received the letter.

He was a good man, boring, when he wasn’t talking about books, but good enough. She knew that Yoshino had to, at least, have threatened him once –another call, he’d been shaken, but firm, Shu notwithstanding, it was a first, the woman could be scary- but he hadn’t backed down.

Padding over to his closet, she picked out a cream coloured silk shirt, slid it over her frame and turned up the dial on the heating.

On her way to the kitchen, Reina plugged her phone into the speakers and set it on shuffle.

For once, she was feeling like dinner, though Nikolai didn’t cook, he’d told the maid to get her anything she wanted from the market.

It had been a funny thing, how they’d ended up living the way they were.

The little rats that Yoshino had placed around her apartment were irritatingly obvious, and though Reina soon figured out a way to sneak past their perimeter –it involved some roof-climbing, trespassing and a wig- they still managed to annoy her to no end.

After meeting Nikolai at the banquet, he had invited her over for coffee on Thursday after work, and a frustrated Reina had complained away.

He had offered a simple enough solution.

Reina had thought it over, but it was simply way too annoying to have to sneak out of her apartment through the building beside it, and it was easier to avoid her mother’s spies in the way from the first to the fifth –also, if he turned out to be a creep, she was sure that she could take him-.

So far he was nice as can be, nice, boring and a good lay.

She rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and set to work at the kitchen.

 _Spaghetti will do_ she thought. _Maybe some salad…_

It wasn’t so much that she knew that she was hungry at that moment, but that she knew she would be and Nikolai would insist on takeout –for a millionaire, he had this weird fixation with Chinese- which she didn’t much like.

It was a simple dish, she threw some basic salad and sauce together and put the pasta in the boiler –Reina couldn’t make much of anything either, but living alone for two years, she’d gotten around to being able to make a couple of dishes –when she didn’t live off of alcohol and chocolate, really it was a wonder she’d survived so long-.

Reina set the timer and pulled out a cigarette from the box on the living room table, heading out for the balcony.

Winter had almost completely set in, the first snow had come that morning and it was frightfully cold, even in a city with so many artificial lights and so much movement.

As her feet met the cold tiles, she shivered, the nights came earlier, it was already beginning to darken outside, the snow stealing the last of the sun’s direct rays –winter sun, the kind that didn’t provide any heat, just shone brightly enough to blind whoever was watching-.

Reina pulled down the shirt’s sleeves and leaned into the veranda, blowing out warm smoke.

Maybe she was being a fatalist –hell, she was a delightfully pessimistic person in general- but then she couldn’t help but inwardly question if that was how she would end, steadily climbing ranks in the job that had been imposed on her, moving into random guy’s houses until, like her mother, she realized that she was just poison to all of the ones that she ever wanted to stay with –Reina’s own father, whom she had met but once , had almost lost all of his acting career and his family for Yoshino, eighteen years before, and her brother’s father had loved her madly enough to jump in front of a Koukaku that probably wouldn’t have done Yoshino in, though it had killed _him_ \- and then she’d become another of CCG’s killing machines, because, truly, that was the only thing she knew how to do.

Reina took a drag, and breathed in, her lungs filled with heavy smoke and she sighed.

Then suddenly there was a presence behind her, long arms encircled her neck and the cigarette fell, some thirty floors below.

Her first thought was that she’d left her daggers back in the living room, but then she recognized the smell.

Lavender and some musky expensive cologne.

“You made me drop my cigarette, Volkov” she said, smiling.

He smiled into her shoulder “I’d rather you shared a cigar with me”

“Maybe after dinner” she said.

“Oh, what’s cooking?” he said with a raised eyebrow.

“Pasta” she turned around to smirk at him “Contrary to popular belief I can make something other than pasta.”

“I never doubted it” His hands came up to cup her face, inside, the music blared, something from Evangelion, she could tell. Very dramatic. “Are you alright? You didn’t notice me coming in?”

“Yeah, I was just thinking…” she turned her head away, he was getting too clingy.

_Not at all like- Ugh, I’ve got to stop thinking about that._

 “What about?” He pressed his lips to the side of her jaw.

She struggled to find an excuse, inside the music blared.

_…is end it all, and leave forever_

_What’s done is done, it feels so bad_

_What once was happy…_

What was done was done right, sometimes, when Nikolai was around, she felt a sort of guilt, a sort of heaviness in her chest, it wasn’t what she should feel, but there it was.

“Well, I’m getting a kakuhou implanted in a couple of weeks” she started “I was just wondering how long it’ll take to heal”

“Around a month “he said “Or so I’ve been told, you can rest up here too, I know you’d rather not be anywhere your mother might find you”

He was sweet, too sweet, Reina turned her head, pressing her lips to his, as they leaned over the railing, the building was in a part of the fifth that was due for redevelopment in a couple of months, for the moment though, it was the tallest building around.

It was a killer view.

He pulled away “Let’s go back in, I really want to taste your cooking”

“Reina snorted “Well, you do live off Chinese takeout”

He laughed “I’ll have you know I also order in from the Spanish place down the street.”

Reina burst into a fit of giggles, it was a numb kind of happiness, what she had like that, but maybe she could live within it, it wasn’t the ideal, but it seemed to be all that life was going to offer her.

_…It all keeps tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down…_

They ate in companionable silence, sitting on the couch instead of the table.

Nikolai took the plates back to the kitchen. “How about that cigar?”

“Sure” she moved to stand when an annoying whirring sound sprouted from somewhere in his laptop, which rested on the coffee table “What’s that?”

He ran into the living room “What the… it’s the building alarm” He said, pulling up the program that held the building's security camera footage “We should be alright, it’s thirty floors up and the lift… is… disabled…”

Nikolai had stopped, staring at the screen with wide eyes and a dumbfounded expression.

“What’s wrong?” Reina furrowed her brow and leaned over him, the little screens showed each a snapshot of a section of the stairwell.

Reina’s blood ran cold.

Of course, Nikolai would be dumbfounded _he_ had never seen a Kakuja.

Reina had –an incomplete one, unlike this monster quickly making its way up the stairs- but she had.

That was the thing that Sasaki was a couple cannibalism episodes from becoming, that was the thing that Ayato would become at _some_ point if he continued.

The snapshots were of a monstrous thing, bigger than any human Reina had seen, hunched over dashing up the stairs.

In its wake, the granite stairs were left destroyed, turned to dust.

She had seen sketches of the few who had ever been lucky enough to escape it, The One Eyed Owl.

“What the- “he began, but Reina interrupted him

“Where is it now?” instincts taking over, she ran for her Quinque.

“Seventeenth” he said, furiously typing away “Fuck, the internet’s cut”

Spike shone in her hand, all red and purple, she then ran back into the living room and ripped her phone from the cable connecting it to Nikolai’s speakers.

That thing would be there in less than a minute, Reina unlocked the screen and thought.

Mado.

“Run” She told him “Get out, I’ll call for help”

Nikolai looked at her sternly and nodded, he threw the laptop to the side and stood up, dashing for the door as she begged the phone to give her the older woman’s number quick.

Nikolai got to the door.

Quick.

Reina’s fist clenched around Spike’s handle and she found the number.

Quick.

The door and a good portion of the wall shot out and blew them both back, against the wall of the living room.

The Owl brought up one of its many bladed appendages, long enough to destroy anything in its wake, parts of the wall, statues, couches, Nikolai… Nikolai.

It cut through him with expected ease –though the blade stopped at his midline, even if it seemed like it could have gone further-, Reina, in the centre of the living room saw him try to make for the kitchen.

He never made it.

In the middle of the living room, the Owl shot another of its appendages towards her –it opened a small gash on her side, though Reina had been plenty sure it was about to cut her in half. and she saw it, the small gap between the thing and the door.

She threw her bag, which she had grabbed a second later to the side and made a run for it, as she was about to jump, she thrust spike to the side, making him as long as she could. The Quinque pierced through the Ghoul’s armour, but the thing barely flinched.

Reina retracted it and found herself on the back of the Ghoul, facing the hallway with the locked down elevator and the stairwell.

.

.

She ran, Spike wrapped around her forearm, gleaming in beautiful purples and blues.

The thing chasing her was definitely, definitely not something she could beat, she doubted that even Yoshino would stand a chance.

And so Reina dashed up the last flight of stairs.

To anyone else the decision would've made no sense, after all for a human, being on the last floor of a thirty-something story building meant being a sitting duck, not even the elevators reached that far up and the emergency stairs were occupied by the very monster that she was running from.

There was nowhere for Reina to go, no escape route but one.

And still, that hardly mattered, she had seen it when Nikolai had put the security camera footage on the screen, the lethal force of the foe she faced, and when he was cut in half with an attack that Reina herself would've been done in by if the kagune hadn't retracted as soon as it killed the man, she had confirmed it.

This was no random hunt, whoever this thing was, they were looking for something.

And that something seemed to be her –she jumped, just in time for two shards that would’ve gone straight into her legs to end up in the stairs instead-.

The woman didn't quite care why, in the end, all that mattered was that this thing could have killed her in the elevator on in Nikolai's room however many times it wanted, even her Quinque wouldn't have made much a difference, even the training that had so grievously been forced on her from a tender age served nothing.

Whatever they wanted with her, Reina wasn't going to become a pawn, not so easily.

She kicked the door open and ran into the rooftop, instead of walls, glass was what protected anyone from falling into certain death.

Good enough.

The creature squeezed in behind her, not for the first time, she was thankful for the special characteristics that Lancer's kagune had possessed.

Be it Yoshino's fault, or Ayato's, or her own, like hell they were getting her alive.

The beast growled and Reina thrust her right arm forward.

A loud sound of shattering glass filled the night and the endless lights of snow-covered Tokyo spun around her, suddenly scared, she turned around and thrust her body back first into the void.

The last glimpse that her eyes caught of the rooftop had the beast crouching, almost retreating into the black hole that was the stairwell.

Reina closed her eyes, she had...

More shattering glass, and more shards around her, brushing her cheeks and her arms, for a brief second she wondered...

 _Nothing matters now, remember?_ her eyes remained closed. _It’s over_

And then it came, a weight akin to that of steel and stone around her chest, the fluttering of a dead man’s tattered dress shirt, a second before her head snapped violently forward and a sickening crack filled her ears, followed by the sound of blood rushing around her head.

Then there was no more need for her eyes to be closed, she wasn't even conscious anymore.

.

.

The room that she woke up in smelt like mildew and old bloodstains.

As Reina's eyes got accustomed to the dim light that came from somewhere far behind her a wave of desperate desire invaded her, something... something... smelt delicious. Her stomach lurched almost convulsed, her hands would have reached in front of her desperately had they not been restrained with something that felt like plastic.

It was a hunger like she had never known.

In front of her, half hidden in the shadows she could see it, the source of the smell laying in a heap on top of a chipped looking plate.

Reina breathed shallowly, slowly calming the spasms that had taken over her body.

The shaking took some time to subside, though she still felt ravenous, even after having been a person who ate in little portions all of her life, in that moment it felt like she could eat her own weight in the delicious substance in front of her.

Slowly, however, as her body calmed, she began to perceive another scent that all but surprised it as it appeared in her awareness, almost overpowering the lush, delicious one wafting from the plate.

It was disgusting, like something one had left out in the sun for too long and maggots had started growing in.

And then she saw it, the plate to the left of the one holding that thing she so desired.

How in had she missed it?

And what in hell was going on?

.

.

Things started making sense after some amount of time, the first hint was how when her eyes got accustomed to the semi-darkness, she could make out just about every object in the rather old-fashioned room. Dyed in the dark amber -of what she was now sure from the smell, was an oil lamp- and the strange shades of darkness that she had never before been able to distinguish from one another was what looked like the living room of an affluent family fifty years prior.

Four old couches upholstered with moth-eaten velvet and three dust-covered teapots and fourteen tasteful porcelain figurines. A wooden tea table where the plates lay and the floor was all dark wood and bicolored mouldy rugs.

The hunger eventually turned to pain, to her stomach folding in on itself, making her also aware of an unsettling ache just below her shoulder blades.

Hours passed, maybe days, the place had no windows, not even boarded up, it had been built that way there wasn't a living being inside that wasn't her aside from the moths.

Eventually, she started to count her own breaths.

Thirty thousand and three hundred eighty-one.

It was just her, and the pain, as her back felt better, her insides felt worse and worse, like her stomach was eating itself with its own acid.

Time passed and it became the worst pain she had ever felt. Worse than getting a chunk of her flesh bitten off, worse than having a Kagune run straight through her stomach, worse than throwing herself off a build-

The last things she'd seen before ending up unconscious came crashing back all at once.

_The recoil, the sick snap at the back of her head._

And Reina started laughing, at the irony, at the goddamned situation, and she laughed her throat bloody, laughed herself dizzy, laughed until the pain at her stomach made her scream and she was still snickering when despite it, she forced her body to stop moving.

.

.

Not much later, when the realization had finished dawning on her, she started thinking.

_Well, fuck it's no surprise... such a half-hearted attempt._

There had really just not been anything else she could have, should have done.

No choice.

What were the choices then though?

_What I am now, I wonder how they'll make use of it._

Who they were was not all that debatable, from the moment she'd met Sasaki, from the moment she'd heard of Aogiri from Ayato she'd had the pieces of the puzzle, and the terrible hunger just organized her in a grotesquely perfect picture.

Behind her, a door opened and the room was filled with bright, fluorescent light.

.

.

The woman who sat in front of her, looking at Reina curiously was beautiful; she had sea foam green hair and eyes of the same colour. She was slight of build and of height, yet the power that she could feel from her...

Reina straightened her back as much as she could.

The other had waltzed in with two plates identical to the ones lying on the table, overflowing with bloody meat, and had replaced the already rotting ones with them, handing the old ones to some masked man.

"Hello, my name is Eto" The other said. "I'm glad we finally get to meet Reina-chan"

"I was starting to wonder when one of you would come" Reina bit out, groaning. "Aogiri sure has patience"

"Well, I wanted my little present to Ayato-kun to know what her place was" Eto said.

"And what she is now too, apparently" Reina narrowed her eyes as the Ghoul nodded "I'm not much of a fan of starving in a dark room for... how long has it been?"

"Oh just three days or so, that is good though" the green haired woman said, tilting her head to the side "You haven't cracked, even though the hunger and the confusion, others... haven't had that kind of strength"

Reina glared at her "Well, I haven't been very confused, it was depressingly easy to figure out"

"Oh so you claim to truly know what has happened to you"

Reina shrugged and looked straight at the woman "I'm fairly close to a man named Haise Sasaki"

"So You're fairly sharp, though if you know about Sasaki, then you'd have had to be quite dim not to at least suspect it." She laughed "I wonder if you'll be hard to break too"

Truly, this person terrified her, Reina had grown relying on instinct and if she had not been tied up she may have run the other way. Still, she was probably not walking out of the room alive, and she'd have been damned if her last moments were spent acting pathetic.

And so, she smirked through the pain and the fear "I doubt you'll find many ways to break me, and since you've turned me into this I also don't think you want me to end up dead"

"Oh, I'm sure there are a few, and well Reina-chan, humans break a bit too easily for my tastes" The other woman only grinned wider, and the last sentence sent a shiver down Reina's spine "But for now, I'd just like to offer you something" she motioned towards the plates widely "Tell me Reina-chan, which do you want?"

Reina narrowed her eyes, not quite so naïve as to believe that she'd just be given the meat, there was also the fact that she knew exactly what it was that rested there, both in the foul-smelling plate and the other.

Playing into the Ghoul's game so early wasn't in her advantage unless she was fine with being treated as some random experiment. She had to get a hand to play with in the first place if she wanted to, at least, die a death that she'd find even the slightest bit dignified.

She found herself glad to have been walking the strip of the morally grey for so long, it made the wild gamble that she was about to make and its possible consequences much easier to accept.

"Can I ask a question first?" Reina said, straining against a new bout of stinging pain. The Ghoul nodded, amused "How long had you been watching me?"

Clearly this made an impression on the other, as she frowned "Since your second fight with Ayato-kun of course, you two weren't half as subtle as you liked to believe, so I know lots about you" the woman's voice was still saccharine sweet.

It was perfect.

"Oh... then I want both of them."

Eto slowly smiled "And why _is_ that? I believe you'd find one of them most unappetizing"

Reina let out a restrained laugh "Look, I know what those are" She swallowed the saliva that had been pooling in her mouth and continued "If you have been watching me for as long as you say, you must know" Reina paused again, choking on the pain "Ngh... that I am not as attached to humanity as most people, and obviously you know that I don't hate Ghouls-"

"Well, that'd be surprising, Reina-chan. Considering what you had been doing until a little while ago" Eto licked her lips "But I still don't see your point child"

"I mean that I don't mind eating human flesh, and that I know that eating Ghouls will make me stronger. I have no moral qualms about it." Reina took a deep breath "You won't break me mentally, so you can stop trying, there isn't much that can be done to me as I already said"

The green haired woman smirked "So if I brought a human, into this room you would eat them? regardless of who they were?"

Reina shrugged "Probably, I'm ravenous"

"And if it was one of your little friends?"

"If you starved me enough" she sighed "It would hurt me terribly, true, but there's really no one still alive that it would break me to kill"

One had to be realistic, though it felt like defeat to admit it, the instinct, the hunger was unlike anything she’d ever felt, she probably would be unable to control herself

The corners of Eto's mouth dropped "How about family then-"

Reina cut her off "Go right ahead, if you even manage to bring my last living blood relative within your reach here I'll probably have less trouble with her than I'd ever have with my friends"

"Then what do you suggest we do, Reina-chan?" A shadow descended over the woman's face "I can't have you luring one of my lieutenants away"

"I am nothing of Black Rabbit's, as you already know-"

"He has been looking for you, rather fervently, if I might add" the other said with a leer.

Reina hardened her expression, schooled her features into cool indifference "That isn't my problem" the other made a face that clearly signified that she didn't believe Reina at all

"Well, even if what you say were true, fact remains that you are what you are now, as that lovely eye on the right side of your face tells me" Yes, Reina had been able to tell when the Kakugan activated, when the veins around her eye bulged and filled up with the increased blood flow "And that you are in my power Reina-chan"

The black-haired woman bit her lip "Well, what do you want then? Going through the trouble of turning me would be pointless since it's not like actual Ghouls are scarce in this city, and it's not like I have any special kind of pull anywhere"

"You're a very logical person, Reina-chan" The other stood from her couch "You're right, if I just wanted to torture someone, I have no shortage of mooks that wouldn't be missed in our lines" She stopped right behind Reina, she could feel the other woman breathing into her neck "But you _are_ special, you see. Ayato-kun seems quite taken with you, and _him_ I would miss under my command. Furthermore, you've become quite a liability for us lately, and that's not to mention your parentage..." something warm and slippery traced its way up her neck, Reina fought not to flinch away "So I thought you might be useful to us, but of course, I couldn't recruit a human _or_ a dove"

"You want me to join Aogiri?"

"Oh no, you've already joined Aogiri, I'll just have to train you a bit for you to see who your loyalty now lies with" small hands gripped Reina's shoulders with the force of an Iron compacter and she cried out.

"There's... No need for that" She smiled a little to herself, it wasn’t that difficult to decide then, moral considerations aside “I am a Ghoul now too, after all, and I don't like being powerless" despite everything, however, there was a nasty feeling when the words came up her throat, Reina figured it was mostly because of the lingering pride that she had as an investigator, even if she'd never really wished for the title either way "I would be... honoured to be allowed to join Aogiri"

"Hahh?" The other cooed "I find that a bit hard to believe, an investigator, scion to a family powerful in the CCG just up and switching sides? I don't think I can trust you, dear, there is nothing that you get out of this, or is there?"

"Power... and freedom" Reina grunted, meeting the other's green eyes with as much intensity as her half-starved state allowed her "I've never been very loyal to either the Akagi family or the Commission, I've tried to escape before, but they only brought me back, so long as you allowed me to live the way I want to, I would obey whatever orders I was given, so long as I don't have to harm _them_ of course." She looked away "if you have been watching me as long as you say, you should know, I never reported most of the things I learned about Ayato"

The other hummed "that much is true. I guess I can believe it, if only because it comes from someone like you"

"Exactly" Reina almost smiled, though she was too frightened and hungry. "I'm not like most of them"

The other woman leaned on the chair's armrest, resting her chin on her fingers, she huffed "Interesting" Eto glanced at the door "I'll hold you to that, Reina-chan, though I don't believe you'd be foolish enough to act against us, after all, those friends of yours remain human enough” fingertips brushed softly against Reina's cheek "For now, however, you can have these"

Faster than she could see, the Ghoul was snapping the restraints in half as if they had been made out of paper.

Reina leaped forward, the small recess of sanity in her mind guided her towards the Ghoul meat first.

She gagged at the taste and her eyes burned along with her oesophagus as she passed large chunks of it almost without chewing. There _was_ some amount of self-hatred in her as she then turned towards the human meat and let the heavenly taste fill her mouth, though it was over by the moment that she had finished the plate.

Yes, she wasn't dying like a dog in the hands of this monster, or becoming a broken puppet of hers, and if she had to switch sides to find an ending she liked then so fucking be it.

Two more men came inside, along with the first they restrained her arms, Eto knelt down, placing her face mere inches from Reina's bloodied one. "You reacted fairly interestingly, but you know, Reina-chan? The more a Ghoul regenerates, the stronger they become, of course, I'll take it upon myself to train you from today onwards and I also..." The woman leaned forward "Really want to play with you a little"

.

.

They dragged her to a room, a training room from the looks of it, and the other was relentless.

And yet, Reina could see how she was holding back.

As she split her hardened flesh, as she all but gutted her time and time again and flowers bloomed on the floor where Reina's body skidded across and the crunching of her bones mixed with the green eyed woman's laughter, Eto was holding back.

The pain was awful and exquisite, Reina had never been the kind to blackout, and if anything, being a half-ghoul seemed to have exacerbated that quality.

_I just have to bear it, bear it, here I am defenceless, all I have left is abstracting myself, forgetting myself, the pain can be dealt with but it I let her scare me it's the end._

By the time the dark haired one was choking in her own blood a new plate of meat was brought in -foul tasting, foul smelling and yet Reina scrambled for it. - and as soon as it was consumed it all began again, and again.

_Forget the pain, destroy the fear, abandon hope._

_This is my life now_

The fifth time, Reina´s Kagune burst from the spot just below her shoulder blades - _A Koukaku, huh? Makes sense-_.

It got shattered in seconds, but that time around they brought her human meat.

.

.

Seven times after that she stood back up, each time the Kagune felt more like her own body, though invariably she'd lose, and now the other was not that worried.

Whenever Reina 'did well' it was human meat, and when she 'failed' Ghoul.

_I just have to become stronger, I just have to become harder, there is no need for me to give her any reactions, there is no need for me to fear her, I no longer have a grip on my destiny, I no longer hold my life in my hands, not until I'm out of here, not until she lets me be, not until I am strong enough and boring enough, I feel nothing, I fear nothing, I won't be affected, strength is all that matters, strength is freedom, strength is..._

The last one, she crawled across the room to reattach her arm before the grotesque banquet of fish entrails was served to her, as soon as the last drop of blood was off the plate, Reina blacked out.

.

.

She slept for most of the day after that, and then it came again.

A routine built, she knew it was a new day because Eto came to _train_ her and she had been sleeping, recovering for around eighteen hours.

The next six were spent getting beat up, each time she fought a bit better though, stood up to the Owl -because after the fifth day she'd shown that form to Reina- longer, even if the older woman wasn't truly fighting with the desperation of the battlefield.

After fighting, she was taken to a bathroom to wash herself off, -and she made a point to untangle her hair with the comb provided, even though her handlers didn’t so much as look at her and there wasn’t a mirror anywhere in the places where she spent her time-.

It was a cycle, a painful but comfortable one, she knew the inside of three rooms, and never tried to escape for there was no place to return to -she wasn't Sasaki, Yoshino would have her head on a pike if she ever went back, lineage be damned-.

_This is my life now, I'll make a place here for myself, under this woman if I must. I do not fear her, I do not resent her, I do not feel..._

Reina counted thirty cycles and then one more.

The thirty-first, when she woke up, there was a stranger in her room, a beautiful girl with brown hair and sad eyes.

"Akagi-san, uhm... nice to meet you, I'm Hinami. I'm going to show you around the base, and to your room" Her smile didn't quite reach the eyes, Reina followed her silently into the unexplored halls of the base.

.

.

Of course, she knew that they were in the eleventh, but the Aogiri base felt incredibly like foreign soil. Hinami led her down a long corridor that she had often seen when being dragged out of her room.

If she had to equate what she had seen of the building so far, she would’ve said that it was more like a hospital than any other kind of building –though of course, the definition of hospital didn’t fit it completely, but the floors made out of simple tiles and the clean, light colored walls gave off that impression, the only exception to this layout was the room where she’d first been held, with its old-fashioned atmosphere and wooden floors- or maybe a mental institution, considering that the room where she had slept up until then had the same hospital-like feeling, and yet was made to close from the outside and very hermetic, from what she had been able to see, despite having never attempted to escape –after all, she had chosen a path, and straying from it would’ve gotten her nothing-.

She counted ten doors down the hallway before they turned right, into yet another hallway with a pair of wide doors at the end.

Was it over? She knew full well that despite the Owl having been brutal in her so called _training_ , she had not been half as malicious, as cruel as she could have been, she’d strictly beat her up the way any powerful enough Ghoul would’ve in a fight, and Reina had had the  option of fighting back, when she’d gathered enough strength –In and of themselves, traditional methods of torture hadn’t been used, which had allowed her to create a rather crooked mindset which in turn, made it possible for Reina to avoid the mental anguish that would have undoubtedly plagued her, even when she truly didn’t have any moral issues with what she was and what she would do as of then.

At first, she’d wondered if the torture technician that Ayato had once mentioned Sasaki had run into, would end up being Eto, but so far, it didn’t seem so.

Of course, there was still the possibility that the woman had not been mocking her when she’d called Reina _‘my present for Ayato-kun’_ and she really was not interested in breaking her beyond what was strictly necessary to ensure her loyalty.

Why, though? It had been three weeks since she’d seen Ayato when they’d taken her, and by then more than a month and a half had passed, from what she knew of the blue haired Ghoul, made her doubt that the part about him fervently searching for some girl he once used to sleep with being true.

That much didn’t quite make sense, on one hand, she could ask him whenever she ended up running into him, on the other, that would have been too awkward, so she resolved not to.

“This is the mess hall Akagi-san” Hinami said as she opened the doors “Aogiri provides meat for us, but you may hunt if you want to, for now under surveillance, of course.”

It was a big room, a few pairs on eyes lifted and settled onto them, but for the most part, everyone was minding their own business.

It smelt delicious, like a fine steak, but she found herself not hungry. It made sense in that Ghouls were supposed to be able to survive a month with just once body, and she was pretty sure that the past month, she’d been made to consume at least the equivalent of half of one each day.

Such thoughts made her nauseous, aside from not being a very big eater, and having never appreciated big portions, they made her feel like cattle, plumped up for the slaughterhouse.

“…Akagi-san?”

“Sorry, what?”

“I asked you if you wanted to eat something”

Reina shook her head “No, no, I’m fine, for now” she tried to smile reassuringly “And eventually, I think I’ll choose to hunt anyways, would you mind accompanying me then?”

“I’m not sure, Akagi-san.” the girl said, looking down “My orders are to watch over you around the base, until we can trust you to go out on your own, but I don’t know if I am allowed to take you out, maybe someone else…”

As they crossed another set of double doors on the far end of the mess hall, she said “It’s alright, I guess I’ll ask someone else. If you wouldn’t mind, then could you tell me some things about what has happened lately?”

The younger girl smiled “I…guess so?”

“Do you know if the CCG thinks I’m dead?”

The brunette’s eyes widened, Reina was forward, always had and always would be “I’m pretty sure it was made out to be like you ran away”

“Ran away? How?” Reina said, now much more interested

“The building that you were in…” Hinami paused, unsure.

“It’s alright to tell me” Reina raised a hand to the other’s shoulder, she had to make it so that she’d trust her, there were favors that she had to ask of Hinami and though she herself would probably not see the point if their roles were switched, the younger Ghoul did not seem hard to manipulate “I’m not planning to run, Hinami-san. I have no idea how to live like a Ghoul, and if anyone found out my family would have the kill order issued within seconds, and Aogiri too would chase me. This is, really, the only place where I can be right now.”

The younger woman took a deep breath and looked up at Reina before she took a left and stepped onto a flight of stairs “The building you were at… was destroyed, at least, the top two floors. I think they used a gas explosion or something, and they destroyed the camera footage, so there’s no evidence of you having been there”

“Smart” She remarked.

“And they took things from your apartment too, anything electronic, I think,  and some more clothes and things so it was believable that you’d escaped” They continued ascending “I think most of it is in your room, of course, Eto-san said that you wouldn’t do anything reckless with those, even if we gave them to you” Hinami added cautiously and motioned towards a floor that they were climbing past ”This and the last floor have bedrooms for everyone, you’ll sleep in one of the upper floors, however, your room is beside mine, it’s mostly for the more powerful members”

“The executives, huh?” Hinami just nodded

It wasn’t even a veiled warning, she knew, Hinami’s words meant that she would always be under the watch of someone powerful. Although she was glad that she wouldn’t end up needing things, so long as they hadn’t only brought her a handful of shirts, of course.

“Well, that does save me some trouble” Reina said.

Hinami nodded “This floor has the meeting rooms, and the next has some sitting rooms and such, some people play cards there when things are quiet”

“Are all of the training rooms downstairs?” Reina asked, as they continued trudging up the stairs.

“Most of them are in the other block, Akagi-san” the other responded “in this building there is only one, and, by the way, you were in the detention zone”

“I figured” Reina smiled a bit “And Hinami…”

“Uh?”

"Call me Reina, or Rei, whichever you prefer, I don't think we'll need any formalities here, since you've been appointed to watch me, and I have a feeling we’ll be stuck with each other for a while."

“S-sure” Hinami smiled and stopped walking, looking up, Reina could see that after the next floor, there were no stairs “Our rooms are in this floor, I’ll show you to yours and then if you want to we can keep on looking at the base.”

“We’ll see I guess” Reina was drowsy, had been for a while, she also wanted to check what exactly, Aogiri had brought her from her apartment.

They walked down yet another hallway, though this one was slightly more adorned, with a carpet covering the floor and a small wooden table to the left, between two doors.

Hinami stopped at the second door and pulled out a key from her pants pocket and unlocked the door “This is your room” she said “I’m in the next one, and down the hall is everyone else, you have probably met some of them before”

And suddenly the innocent brown eyes of the young woman in front of her turned calculating, she hadn’t acted like she knew _who_ Reina was, or at least what her profession had been, but as she walked into the rather big and bare room, Reina was sure that the other one knew a great deal about her.

“I have, I think” Reina said, not bothering to erase the amused smirk on her face “Though of course, you can hardly call that meeting”

It was a large room though the only furniture in it was a desk, a bed, and a small wardrobe, the floor was wood and the walls were cream colored, there was a moderately-sized window on the far side. On top of the bed were her things, a heap of plastic and fabric thrown together unceremoniously, Reina made her way towards it.

The first thing that she saw, lying on top of everything, probably because it had been with her at Nikolai’s and as such, had to have been put there later than the other things, was her purse.

“I guess…” Hinami said behind her.

“I haven’t met you, though, have I?” Reina said everything was in order with the bag, not even the money she had been carrying was missing.

The brunette shook her head “No, although I had seen you before”

“Figures” Reina scoffed, noting that her cigarette pack was almost empty “Hinami, would you please do me a couple of favors?”

Rina sat down on the bed, scanning the pile of things, it seemed well chosen, varied enough, though it was a shame that whoever had picked her stuff up had only seen it fit to pick up a couple of books –of course, books weren’t what one usually thought to take when one ran away without much of a place to go- and from what she could see, had picked out the more uncomfortable pajamas –the ones one wore to have someone take them off a few minutes later-. But she had shoes and clothes and even her lighter –Sasaki’s edition of _The Black Goat’s Egg, Oblivion 3_ and _Demian_ were nice bonuses-. “I… guess”

Reina smiled, resigned at the other’s hesitation “I promise they’re nothing that’ll jeopardize you.”

“Sure then” Hinami said with a smile.

“Do you have a pen?” Hinami wordlessly handed her one “First. It has been a while, but if there’s someone watching my apartment we’ll just have to wait. There’s a safe hidden beneath my bed, it’s just some old mementos, but they’re important, it’s about the size of a small backpack, so it can be hidden there. Whenever you could do it would be fine”

“Oh” Hinami looked down “Ok”

“And the second thing” She said, extending a few bills towards the younger girl “Would you please buy me as many packs of cigarettes as this is enough for? that way I won’t have to ask you again”

“I can do that right now, if you want some time alone”

The younger woman hadn’t missed how Reina gripped the edge of one of her favorite shirts, or the way that her fingers lovingly stroked over what was left of her former life “Thanks, Hinami-chan” Stiffening, the brunette shot a glance at the overcast sky outside, Reina could have sworn she saw the shadow of a tear sliding down her cheek “Sorry… Should I not call you that?”

“No, no. It’s fine, you just reminded me of someone” she smiled sadly “It’s been snowing for a while”

“Yeah”

“I’ll go now” the woman turned on her heel and walked towards the door “Please behave, Reina –san”

“Thanks, Hinami”

She wasn’t even planning to escape, in fact, Reina had no idea what she wanted to do then, none at all.

“I will”

.

.

Hinami stared at the address that Akagi Reina had given her.

Something about it was familiar, it was in the third ward.

As she picked up her fake ID and headed to the store, she passed Ayato’s room.

 _It can’t be_ she thought _it’s true that she smells similar, but it really can’t be._

Such a thing would be almost too cruel, and yet, it fit horribly.

She wasn’t about to ask the older woman, Hinami was surprised that she even seemed sound of mind, after seeing how people could change under constant torture, and from what Eto had told her before sending her off to find Reina, she had been down there for at least a month.

Ayato had been fidgety and irritable when they had had to spy on that dance, she recalled, and a week before, he’d seemed strangely down and angry.

She hurried off to the store, Reina had apparently given her enough for ten cigarette packs, she dropped them all in a bag and headed back to the base.

_Ayato-kun smelt of smoke when he spent the nights out too._

It was the last piece, she was convinced, with only a silver of room for doubt.

Quickly, she went back to the base and to the floor where their rooms were, she knocked on Reina’s door.

“Come in” the other’s muffled voice said “Inside, she found that most of the clothes that had previously formed a heap on the bed were now thrown haphazardly –though classified by type- into the dresser, and Reina had plugged in her phone, which her faintly shaking hands held.

As Hinami went in, she could see the other trying to hide the lost expression on her face “I have your cigarettes” she said, holding out the bag.

“Thanks” the other said sincerely “You’re a life saver”

“Actually, I think I’ll see if I can get that safe of yours today” she found herself saying, the other woman’s eyes lit up.

“Really?”

“So long as there isn’t anyone watching” Hinami said “But I don’t think there’ll be”

“I’d love you for it” The dark-haired woman said.

Hinami smiled and stepped out of the room.

She was curious enough and had time.

Soon enough, she was walking quickly to the station with a backpack slung over her shoulder, each time the little pieces of things that she had observed in Ayato making more and more sense.

If she was right, then she didn’t know what to feel. Logically, she felt pity towards the other woman, and a little bit of sympathy, knowing how losing one’s whole life felt, but there was a tiny twisted recess of her mind which whispered that maybe she should be glad that there was a way for them to be together –if they even wanted that-.

There was an air of old sorrow to the woman too like that wasn’t the first time everything was ripped away from her. And while there was no denying that she was beautiful, that was marred by the emptiness that seemed to take over her at times –when Hinami had walked into the other’s cell early that afternoon, for a second, she would have sworn that it was a mannequin that was lying on the bed-.

Once in the third, she headed for her usual library and searched for the address from there.

It was a three-story building with an old-fashioned feeling to it.

She climbed through the fire escape to the third floor, the window was open, had clearly been for a long time, there was frost in the curtains.

And she caught a very familiar scent, both in old and new hues –the old mixed with the very scent that she’d caught on Ayato before, the new with the fragrance of snow and the stench of blood-.

Ayato had left that place not an hour before.

It was set then, why he had kept it such a tight secret, it hadn’t only been a human, it had also been a Dove.

Hinami wanted to cry for him, for them, for her.

Another thing that was clear then too, after all, was that Eto had most probably turned Reina to either see how Ayato reacted, or to have a hold over him.

And the older woman probably knew it too –and she was resigned to that fate, Hinami had known instantly that she was not lying when the other had said that she wasn’t planning to escape-.

The room also reeked of old blood –Ghoul blood- but that was to be expected.

Hinami knelt down into the frozen floor beside the bed and felt around, the loose floorboard was easy enough to find.

.

.

 

Her phone screen lit up, the number of unread messages and calls was up in the hundreds

Reina pressed the back button and headed for her contacts list.

Systematically, she blocked each and every one of them.

_It’s for the best_

Thankfully, she had long since smashed the phone’s location chip –well it hadn’t been _her_ per se, Reina destroyed anything electronic that she tried to open- so that wouldn’t be an issue.

Maybe it sounded terribly melodramatic, but losing her music then of all times would’ve been just short of devastating.

She wasn’t the kind of person who cried, she hadn’t since she’d found out that Shu had died, but staring at the neatly folded pile of clothes that was all she had left from the whole of her life, there was an odd stinging at the base of her eyes.

The right one, especially, after a while in the dungeon, she had learned to control her kakugan, but the damned thing still overcame her sometimes.

She was acting pathetic; this whole thing was pathetic.

A sort of restlessness, not quite short of anxiety started filling her.

She tried to lay down, but her ears started picking out the sounds in the floor below her, she tried pacing up and down the room, but that only made her tenser, readier to start smashing the few things in the room.

Reina had had a month to wrap her head around what had happened, what would happen from then on –and she had accepted it, really, embraced it, even, she could eat humans without that much remorse if she had to, she could switch sides if it meant the few people that she cared even a little about were safe- and still, the overwhelming sensation of loss…

It was a split second decision, her eyes landed on the cigarette boxes in her bed and not a second later, her hands were reaching for the lighter on the night table.

Going out of the room didn’t seem like a very smart idea, looking for an open space, even less.

_So what?_

She lifted the nondescript sweatpants and sweatshirt that had been provided to her the night before –every night her clothes were too tattered and bloody to be called clothes anymore, when she came out of the bathroom, there was always an identical pile waiting for her- and slipped into a tank top and some pants of her own.

The corridor was deserted when she poked her head out.

One step outside, two, she herself had no idea where she was going-

_Up. There must be a roof, right?_

And tired feet carried her because her mind was pretty much absent.

She was barely a floor over her room when she heard them.

Footsteps.

Irrational fear, panic.

_Nikolai’s half- bisected body, the shut-off elevator, an oversized silk shirt and shards of debris and glass piercing the soles of her feet._

The rational side of her brain told her that the footsteps were too light and that it didn’t matter anymore, anyways. It said that worst had come to worst and that there was nothing else short of death that could be coming.

Said part was a voice growing distant as the footsteps grew closer and closer.

Reina tried to calm herself down, her ragged breathing filled the desolate piece of the corridor where she stood, and her heartbeat grew more irregular by the second as blood rushed to her right eye and her back.

 _It could always be Hinami, it could-_ she heaved a breath _It doesn’t_ smell _like Hinami._

The woman ran, gulping in air however she could, her bare feet carried her up another five, six flights of stairs, only to find herself faced with a heavy, metal door.

Back at the skyscraper in the fifth, the rooftop had been for the visitors to use, here, it was obvious that no one went there very often. If she had still been human, she wouldn’t have been able to kick the door open.

Reina found herself in a flat rooftop, it had no ridges or railings or anything to prevent anyone from falling to their death.

Behind her, the footsteps came faster, whatever was behind her wasn’t running, though it definitely was chasing her.

Two, three lunges across the huge expanse of concrete, the newly developed strength of her legs took her all the way to the edge.

The whole experience felt like a fever dream, the panic that had overtaken each and every recess of her mind, the sensation of choking when she tried to breathe in deep, the presence at her back.

Looking down, she realized that the building wasn’t quite as tall as she’d though for one and that it did seem like an old, dilapidated hospital –the by now mostly muted rational side remarked that a big part of it had to be underground for such expansion to be possible-.

Surely, the body she had gained over the previous month could survive a ten story fall –hell, she had survived blows of equivalent force as a human- and still…

Something snapped within her then.

_What am I acting like a coward about?_

Suddenly, it was slightly easier to breathe, and she remembered.

_Kill the fear_

_I’m a fool._

As she had done uncountable times already, Reina willed the RC cells in her body to travel towards the spot right beneath her shoulder blades, and they obeyed, leaving trails of warmth in their wake.

Her skin exploded into vermillion and mauve, and like the arms of a lover, the Kagune slipped around her torso and over her arms, extending to form a pair of blades at each of her forearms.

Lone kakugan blazing, Reina turned around.

.

.

As Ayato ascended the stairs to their rooms, he noticed a whiff of something sticking around the stairs, it didn’t bother him much, it wasn’t like the base didn’t constantly reek of blood.

He was about to knock on Hinami’s door when just _what_ the strange smell was had registered on his brain.

It smelt like a half-ghoul, but it didn’t smell like Eto’s psycho pet. And the part of it that wasn’t the classical Ghoul smell was… _familiar?_

Ayato shook his head, the thoughts that filled it were equal parts denial and disbelief, he could _place_ the scent, but he couldn’t see how it ever could’ve gotten to Aogiri’s base, much less the room beside Hinami’s.

_Could someone have-? No that’s ridiculous. She’s been gone for a while._

And yet the smell was all over the floor, and it led upstairs.

Transfixed, Ayato turned around and started ascending.

As soon as he had taken a few steps, someone started running, climbing as fast as they could, like a scared rabbit, with their footsteps marking a panicked rhythm.

He continued walking up, and up, and up, until he heard the stranger kick the rooftop access door and a gust of wind blew past him.

 _It’s definitely-_  

His legs took him further up even faster, as he reached the rooftop, he noticed the lone figure standing at the edge, shaking like a leaf.

_Impo-_

It couldn’t be, and it wasn’t, he realized; despite the striking similarity, a brilliant Kagune had just burst out of the stranger’s back –a Koukaku that formed long, scythe-shaped blades around the woman’s forearms and encased part of her upper arms and torso-.

Then the stranger turned around to face him.

_It is_

.

.

She wasn’t thinking or feeling, she was just seeing red, bathing in trained bloodlust.

The enemy stood in front of her, a suspiciously familiar figure, she didn’t bother taking much of a look at his face; Reina had fought that man before.

She dashed forward, again covering the distance in few steps.

The man froze, but was on the move as well a second later, he jumped out of the way swiftly, as black took over both of his sclerae and amber orange and crimson bloomed from his back.

He was fast.

Reina almost reached to the side for her Quinque, but she had been taught better already.

AA kick to his stomach sent him careering backwards, and I retaliation, spikes rained down from his wing-like Kagune, slicing deeply at her arms and legs.

It’d be better to get it over with quickly.

Her legs propelled her forward into the air, and she thrust her right arm forward, elongating the blade that encased her forearm as she did so.

The man’s kagune folded around his form and shielded him from the blade, which clashed against it, making shards of it fall clinking to the floor.

_Just a little more and I’ll pierce it._

 She pressed forward harder, they were very close to the edge, maybe she could push him overboard.

Cracks appeared from the place where their Kagune connected towards each side, both through her blade and through his wing.

Reina saw his mouth move, lips twist, but her ears were ringing and she _had_ to fight him.

“…i…na”

And then, the man flipped his wing back, taking her by surprise. Both the wing and the blade broke, points dulled, and he used that second when they both touched the ground to propel himself off of it and barrel straight into her body, this sent their joined forms crashing into the wall that surrounded the entrance to the stairwell.

His remaining wing pinned her arm with the intact blade, and she haphazardly pressed the jagged edge of the broken one to his throat.

The Ghoul’s hands were around her neck.

She could still make the blade on her pinned arm grow longer, more curved, it wasn’t in a bad position, if she made it long enough it would be able to pierce through his shoulder, and that would probably be enough for his grip to slacken.

There was also the possibility of kicking him in the chest or the chin, or plainly surging forward with all of her body, even if it meant that the force was likely to knock her shoulder right out of its socket

Reina looked up at the man’s face, trying to assess which option would be able to better catch him off guard.

His kakugan were activated of course, but for some reason, she had the feeling that his eyes ought to be blue.

Blue.

_Cigarettes, lips pressing against her neck, the scent of the dying summer and coffee and blood._

_Ayato._

 A second later, as her RC cells vanished into nothingness, his hands around her neck were no longer choking her but instead, they, and the wing still pinning her now bare arm that were holding her up.

Her Kakugan deactivated and the wing let go. His hands were no longer exerting enough force to hold her up, Ayato’s eyes returned to their original color, he too seemingly shocked, staring at her as if she were a sort of mythical creature.

Reina slid down the wall, wide-eyed and trembling.

What the hell had she been thinking?

Half expecting him to look at her with disgust or just walk away, she looked up, his face was a picture of confusion and in a rather uncharacteristic move, his knees bent and in a second, she found him sitting in front of her, staring hard into her face, almost as if he were trying to find the fold where the mask stuck to her skin.

Because it couldn’t be, right?

Even she, sort of did not believe it at times, despite having had a month in the company of two mutes in white suits and a psycho Owl to take it in.

Unexpectedly, along with the obvious disbelief, the situation was far more awkward than it had a right to be. She wanted to say something, hell, she knew that she should, but adequate words weren’t coming to her, everything her rapidly clearing head offered her sounded either stupid, conceited or pathetic, she herself didn’t know what she wanted to convey –hell she didn’t know what she felt about the whole thing, in light of the freak out that had just taken place- and maybe it was that.

But she had to say _something_ dammit.

“I- Ah- Ayato…”

“Reina…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise cliffhanger!!! Muahahah, actually this and last chapter were written back to back, but I was having trouble with the end scene so it ended up a little longer.  
> The Ayato and Hinami POV inserts sort of felt necessary  
> I love to hear what you think


	13. Frost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! (I was drunk for two days straight, half of this was written then, fixing the grammar was a pain, and I’m still hungover as hell) Happy New Year y’all!

“Reina…” It was an echo of her own mention of his name, Ayato couldn’t think of much to say; in fact, he wasn’t even all that sure that he wasn’t looking at some sort of mirage –and night wasn’t all that strange a time for a mirage to appear- brought on by the dreadful cold that reigned over the city.

And then she started laughing, bitterly; it wasn’t forced but the sound held no humor or joy, it really was just the backlash of her shocked mind.

He just watched her, dumbfounded.

Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, and only then did she stop laughing. “Sorry,sorry” shesaid,as if he had called her out on it “It’s just that I had thought I’d never see you again and that’s the least bizarre thing about this”

Anger surged through his body as everything _else_ dawned on him.

Reina was there, she was ahalf ghoul, and she hadn’t run away, he was sure as hell that turning hadn’t been her choice.

She would have rather died than become someone else’s puppet.

And there she was.

“…How long?”

Reina smiled sadly “I have no idea” she looked at him then “Did you hear about a gas leak explosion at the top of a building?” Ayato nodded reluctantly “How long ago was that?”

Where had she been when it happened? Had sheranout of the CCG towards him? Or had she just taken note of her flame of that night dying abruptly and continued with her job? Had she cared? “A bit more than a month”

“Then it’s around thatmuch” she said “I can’t really say, she just let me outside, I didn’t even know it was night already until I got to the room”

Reina threw her head back, eyes fixated on the starry sky, the resulting crack of her skull against the marble was loud enough to startle even Ayato, but she didn’t even flinch, not like the lack of pain was a rare thing. She looked no different than he remembered, and if he hadn’t just seen her with a kakugan and kagune, only the smell –that mingled with Tokyo’s frigid night air- would’ve given it away.

“Who?” he asked, already knowing the answer, and still slightly confused as to why Reina didn’t look more unhinged –though then, he remembered just how they had ended up in the rooftop and realized that as always, Reina was good at hiding the darker parts of herself.

With shaky fingers, she pulled out a cigarette from a box that looked new and lit it “The Owl” Reina outstretched her hand towards him, the box lying innocently in it. Ayato shook his head.

“Why did she let you out?” He found himself asking.

Reina cocked her head to the side, something like amusement filling her eyes “She probably got tired of beating me up”

It was a strange statement, Eto always found ways, new, crueler to amuse herself “That’s hard to believe”

“Why?”

“She usually keeps experiments until they break”

She laughed humorlessly again “Do you think there’s anything she could’ve broken me with?”

That much was a fair point, he tried to think of anything emotionally scarring enough –Reina could take a lot of pain, he knew well enough- but even her friends did not seem to matter enough to truly unhinge her, though it was clear that Reina loved them well “I wouldn’t know “Ayato shrugged “Do you have any more family?” they both know that Yoshino doesn’t much count.

The woman stares at him for a moment “None that I care about” he waits, eyes silently prompting her to continue “My aunts are dead, and I’ve only seen my dad and my half-brother a couple of times”

“So I guess there isn’t” The confession is kind ofsad,though a side of him tells him that she’s lucky to not have anything tying her down. True, no one forced him to work for Aogiri, or leave Touka, but he’s sure that were Eto to try and hold him down, in the event that he ever tried to leave, consequences would befall on his sister, or maybe even Hinami, depending on the situation. But there was still the forlorn look in her eyes, she had once mentioned a dead fiancé, it made enough sense that a good part of Reina’s vulnerability had died with that man.

“No, I offered to join from the startanyway” She said, taking a deep drag, and bringing it down.

He chuckled, that much wasn’t ever going to save anyone from the Owl’s sadistic urges “That wasn’t going to save you”

“I knew” she looked at him “But it dissuaded her a bit, and when I wouldn’t break, she got bored of me”

Entranced, Ayato observer her ribcage sink and the smoke that almost shone in the freezing air as it escaped her mouth in tranquil curls.

Under his gaze, she let her body slump against the wall and her head drop back to look at the cloud filledsky.

Her eyes were on his then, piercing, wearing a neutral expression. “You didn’t know I was down there huh?”

“No” He said, looking away at the skyscrapers in the distance “I only got back a few days ago”

“Took a trip?” She said, exhaling smoke as she spoke.

Ayato huffed “A mission, to Kyoto”

“Ah” she smiled a bit and leaned back, into her elbow and then into her side. “Think I’ll get sent out anytime soon?”

Though it had snowed plenty in the previous days, there wasn’t that much snow in the roof top, even less so beside the wall of the entrance, since the wind seemed to have blown in such a way that only small mounds were piling randomly around them.

“You’re serious about joining” He noted with slight surprise.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You’re a dove”

“I’m a hired killer” Reina flashed him a small smile that dripped with irony “There’s nothing for me to go back to, only death”

“I thought you wanted to die”

“I’ve told you that’s not the case” she said and sighed “And this might be my chance at being free, so there’s no reason not to take it, there’s nothing I would risk my life going back for” what was left of the cigarette bounced away, to die out in a heap of snow.

“If that’s what you believe…” There was the CCG, and the Owl, and Aogiri. The very conditions of their bodies held them back, their very nature.

“I meant from Yoshino” Reina looked up at him “I know it’s not that easy”

“So you’d rather Eto?” his tone was surprised, he too, slid to lie on his side, feeling the crusty, nigh frozen blood at his side as his clothes unstuck from his skin.

“I’d rather anything” He wasn’t trying to warn her against Aogiri, not really –and it wasn’t like they both weren’t inextricably ligated to the organization by that point- but the stubborn, slightly annoyed way in which she spoke denoted that she probably felt like he was “Didn’t you once tell me that you joined this thing for power?” Her eyes were fixated on the tips of her long fingers, buried in the snow.

“I did” he answered, unwavering “And that’s why I stay”

“Well, it’s like that, of course, I would never have wished to be turned into what I am now” A small shiver coursed up her frame, he was pretty sure it wasn’t from the cold –even if she _was_ wearing a tank top in winter, the cold wouldn’t kill a Ghoul- “But what’s done is done, and if I’m going to live like this I’m not going to hide among the humans like a coward”

It was strange, really, how adapted she seemed to be to her new nature –even having had a month to get accustomed to it, most test subjects that he had seen which were not Takizawa, usually had a harder time accepting it, even the willing ones- but in a way, Reina being Reina, it made sense.

Even the way that she had referred to her new nature wasn’t disgusted or afraid, just matter of fact, it was common sense that hardly anyone –and even more rarely someone who had been born to both money and an ideal physical condition- would have wanted to become something that was hunted throughout the world.

“At least, you have somesense” He said.

Reina’s face was painted in shades of night and streetlamp amber as she spoke, eyes shining with a strange thing that he couldn’t quite place “Funny, everyone always tells me I’m crazy”

Their eyes met, when he answered his voice was far quieter than before “That too”

A small smile played at the corner of her mouth, and Reina didn’t speak anymore. She was again far away, thinking of god knew what, he took the opportunity to glance at her.

Even if a month had passed, she barely looked any different, although her hair was slightlywilder, and longer, falling over her side. The smaller scars on her arms had disappeared, but the larger ones remained, looking older, slightly faded around the edges but still unmistakably there.

_ His _ scar was one of those that remained, around the outer part of her shoulder.

Reina was there, alive, he heard her heart beat.

A wave of relief washed over him.

And then came one of horror, and disgust at himself.

Just a woman, he’d said, and just a woman she was.

And yet he’d wandered around, concerned out of his mind all because of her absence and a messed up apartment.

Ayato breathed in deep, closing his eyes, when he opened them she was staring back, eyes soft and full of undisclosed issues at the same time. They held recognition, knew him for what he was.

_ I-I’ve got to- _

“Tch, I’m going in” he pushed himself off the ground, dusting the scant snow off his pants andjumper, and turned around “You coming?”

He was sure then that she was smiling sadly, quietly, even at his harsh tone.

“I think I’ll stay a bitmore” she said, he heard her shift onto her back “If you see Hinami-chan can you tell her to leave that thing I asked her for in my room, and that I’ll be down in a bit, so she doesn’t have to worry”

“Whatever” He wanted to tell her that even Ghouls could freeze –albeit they didn’t die as fast as humans did-, but Ayato just walked off; mad at himself for reasons he didn’t really understand.

.

.

Downstairs, he found Hinami knocking on the very door he’d first smelled Reina at, holding a backpack.

“She’s upstairssmoking” He said, as evenly as possible “Said that you should leave that thing inside and she’ll come down in a bit”

The younger Ghoul just stared at him with knowing eyes, he figured that she knew, Hinami had been dangerously close to the truth from the start anyways, and apparently, he hadn’t been as discreet in his comings and goings as he’d hoped “It was Reina-san, wasn’t it?”

“You already know,whyask?” he growled.

The young woman looked down, taken aback by the harsh tone –it was something that he almost never used with Hinami- “I’m really sorry”

“For what?” He frowned, was there anything to be sorry for? He didn’t really think the thing he’d had with Reina was going to be rekindled, if anything, the woman seemed, even more, distant than when she’d been a woman, like a backroom had been built in her mind and she was starting to take to running in there to escape from everything.

Hinami turned the handle on the door of Reina’s room and opened the door. “For her”

Inside, he spied the opened drawers and piled up clothes and little nothings scattered around the floor. “Did you know?” He said, stepping into the room. Aogiri had planned it well, apparently, even the CCG seemed convinced that Reina had simply up and left, and _that_ was bound to make her less disagreeable –even if after their talk on the rooftop, he could see that it wasn’t even necessary-.

Hinami shook her head “I knew there was someone new down there” she said, gently placing the backpack in the bed –beside maybe ten cigarette boxes- and taking out a square shaped, metallic box out of it “But I didn’t know anything about them, and they didn’t scream as much as Takizawa-kun either”

“And Eto just let her go today? Just like that?”

 Hinami shrugged “I don’t get it either, but I’m glad that she didn’t end up like that, she’s nice”

“And we don’t need another of those things” He agreed.

Hinami’s lips pressed together forming a thin line “Do you think that she’s really just going to join?”

A sigh made its way up his throat, suddenly he was very tired “Knowing her, yes”

Hinami’s eyes just stopped on him, fondness shining in them “Was she that strange a human?” she finally asserted.

He laughed bitterly “Very” Ayato walked over to the bed, the metallic box had buttons on the side and a small digital screen.

A safe box.

“What’s in there?” he asked, more out of curiosity than concern that it’d be something which would end up being a liability –Reina wasn’t the kind, anyways-.

“She said it was some mementos” Hinami turned to look at him “I picked it up at her apartment”

The implication in her words was plain, with Hinami’s senses it was granted that she knew he had been there earlier. “So you know” he said, simply, it was no use denying anything, hell, Ayato didn’t want to, for all that both of them had tried to be careful, Eto had probably been watching from the start, and when she found an opportunity, she sent him away and snatched Reina while no one was looking.

“Mostly” The girlsaid“Why, though? That’s what I don’t get”

He chuckled humorlessly “Do you think I know?”

And he still didn’t or at least he didn’t understand the pull that he had felt towards that girl from the start, it didn’t make any sense, yet it was very real, present throughout their every meeting, as enemies and as lovers, he hadn’t been able to look away, to separate from her and _she_ had had to do it, _she_ had been the one to grow bored of him. “You probably do Ayato-kun, it’s… just…tha- “

Hinami turned around again, eyes fixated on something that laid on Reina’s bed, Ayato came up to her and leveled his gaze forward.

There wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, just the safe, the cigarettes and some books, along with a bag and some candy that no one in the place could eat. AS if transfixed, the brunette leaned over and grabbed one of the books.

It was a paperback, worn around the edges as if it had been re-read time and time again.

Hinami lifted it up to her nose slowly, almost ceremoniously. Out of the corner of his eye Ayato could make out the title; _The Black Goat’s Egg,_ one of Eto’s –he then wondered if Reina even knew that she had just been beaten up for a month by the writer- though he didn’t quite understand the significance of it, and Hinami was sniffing it like it mattered.

Ayato leaned in closer, it wasn’t anything special, it smelt like Half-ghoul, it smelled like Reina.

Except it didn’t, there were two smells on the book, the newer one was the way Reina had smelt as a human –familiar to him more than anything else- and the _older_ one was the scent of a half-ghoul.

A shiver went up Hinami’s spine “Onii-chan…”

It made sense that Reina had a book of the bastard’s.

But that thought didn’t quell the wave of jealousy that he felt rise up within him.

“He was hersuperior” he said, quietly, as Hinami laid the book back down and turned towards the door.

“Everything’sbackward” she said, head bowed slightly as she started walking out of the room “All of us.”

“I guess…” He didn’t really get it, maybe she was referring to where they all were, but that hardly mattered, and Ayato didn’t think that the sentiment applied to himself anyway if he was right about what Hinami meant.

Ayato was right where he’d put himself.

When the woman looked back, she was smiling, and two identical tear tracks ran down her cheeks “Come with me to get some coffee Ayato-kun?”

Admittedly, he did have a soft spot for Hinami, and as everything that had happened in the previous couple of hours was still downing on him, he figured he could use some –or some alcohol, really, he was avoiding having to think about the implications of the whole Reina thing- as the urge to punch a wall became stronger inside him.

Silently he nodded, and followed her out of the room, closing the door behind them.

.

.

Winter sunlight –dim and somewhat bleak- peered through his blinds, Ayato had woken up to a chill despite the base’s heatingsystem,and was putting off getting up frombed, even though by that point going back to sleep was pretty much impossible.

In an effort to distract herself from wallowing over Kaneki, the previous night Hinami had interrogated him on the whole mess with Reina.

He’d told her most of it.

None of them had wanted to mention what was obvious, Eto had picked her because of him, and probably had some form ofplaninvolving them both or Reina’s mother.

Maybe the three things.

A timid knock came from the door “Ayato-kun, can I come in?”

Hinami.

He stretched his arm to the side and grabbed a t-shirt which he promptly put on –it was one of the few casual items that he owned, along with the pants, and they only served the purpose of being pajamas- and sat up on the bed.

“Yes” He said.

Hinami herself looked fairly frazzled and was wearing a soft, long camisole and seemed to have shoved her feet in the first pair of shoes that she had seen.

“Reina-san isn’t in her room; I don’t think she slept there either” He felt his eyes widen “Do you know where she could’ve gone”

Drawing in a deep breath, he said “She’s probably up on the roof, smoking”

“The only trail leading up is yesterday’s, I even went up, but the snow erased everything”

“Weird” It was more than that, he _knew_ Reina, she wouldn’t have run away, at least not so recklessly and without having anywhere to go –she couldn’t go to the CCG, that classed out her family and friends, and the only other people that he knew her to have some connection to, were dead- so she probably was still in the building or near it, with the snow it would be almost impossible to look for her through smell, and it also didn’t sound like her to have gone wandering around in that situation, what sounded like her was-

“Hinami” the other perked up “Did you walk around the rooftop?”

“Uh? No, it’s awfully cold, and there’s an inch of snow.”

The snow would have erased her smell, and as he thought about it, he was more and more sure, it was ridiculous, true, but it was also so like Reina to do something like that, especially now with the body that she had.

His legs sprang into action before he could order them to do anything “Let’s go up” He shoved some shoes on and headed for the stairs.

Hinami followed him.

Ayato climbed, flight after flight, he knew most of the upper floors inhabited, somehow, the underground part of the base felt more secure, as he and Hinami reached the metal door of the rooftop –which now had a foot sized dent on it- the brunette spoke “I told you, the trail ends here”

He pushed the door open and was greeted by blinding white.

As he walked out into the carpet of snow, he knew he was right, Ayato walked around the dented door and around the entrance, and there, beside the wall he saw her.

Right where he’d left her the night before, the fingers of her left hand clutched at her phone in a tight, frozen grip and her body was half covered in snow, her eyes closed peacefully.

Hinami gasped “I thought that noise was something else”

“Whatnoise” he said, both rushing towards the unconscious woman.

“Her heartbeat” Hinamiexplained“I heard it when I came up before, but it’s too faint and too far apart.” The brunette pressed a hand to Reina’s almost still chest and sighed.

The tips of the woman’s fingers and her lips were blue, her hair and eyelashes were caked in frost.

Ayato crouched beside her and slid his arms under her knees and chest, he lifted the still, cold body up.

He had never heard of a ghoul freezing to death before, but then again, he had never heard of one sleeping outside in winter in a measly layer of fabric, it was true that they weren’t as fragile as humans, but even then...

“I’ll carryher” he said to Hinami, who was looking at them with an indescribable look in her face.

And then, without another word, he walked inside with Reina in his arms.

She felt like a corpse, cold and hard, with the slowly melting ice resting over her.

_ Fuck _

He descended the stairs as fast as he could without jostling her too much –somehow, an irrational fear of her shattering like an ice statue had taken a hold of him- and when he reached the floor where their rooms were, without thinking twice about it, he headed for his.

Later he wouldn’t be able to explain to himself why he hadn’t just gone to hers -which was right in front of the stairs and also had a perfectly functioning bathtub- but in that moment, he just moved.

Hinami was on their heels.

He went into the bathroom and carefully laid her body down on the tub. His fingers curled under the edge of her tank top and he maneuvered his arms to take the frozen, blood-stained garment off, he did the same with the torn pants.

Behind him, Hinami observed.  “It’s beating a bit faster now” she informed him “Do you want me to bring some meat for when she wakes up?”

As much as Reina would need to eat, she’d take a while to wake up, it was also code for ‘do you need to be alone?’ and Hinami would take a while getting the meat from the mess hall.

Ayato turned to look at her “Sure” he said softly enough that it could only barely bee heard above the sound of the water that was slowly filling the tub.

And so, he found himself in a situation that he’d never imagined, and that was only speaking about the moment in which he was living, if one considered the background to everything, it only got far more ridiculous.

He turned off the faucet when the steaming water covered her completely from the neck down, soaking the undergarments that he hadn’t seen all that fitting to take off –it hadn’t felt right, even if he had seen her naked more than once-.

He sat on the floor beside the tub and looked at her.

The ice in her hair had melted with the steam, though she still looked far too pale to be alright, her lips no longer were blue, and even the dark circles that had always been under her eyes looked a bit fainter.

Ayato had given up on trying to figure Reina out a while before, though he couldn’t help but wonder how she’d managed to fall asleep or stay still enough that the cold managed to get a hold of her; and that was because he was almost convinced that at least on a conscious level, it hadn’t been a planned thing –because who’d choose the uncertainty of hypothermia when she could simply walk up to Arima, Reina probably even knew where to find thereaper-.

Knowing her, she had simply been too uncaring and comfortable to move, and when/if she ever realized that she could no longer move, she made no greater effort and decided that if she died, well… it wasn’t much of a loss.

About half an hour later her cheeks had regained some color, and he refilled the tub with warm water, the stiffness in her limbs had, however, gone too, and she slid down, nearly damn well pushing her own head under the water.

Ayato dove for her, sometimes he really wondered…

.

.

Warm and wet.

Werethe only two things she could feel.

Reina wasn’t opposed to them, she figured that she’d ended up in some recess between dreaming and being awake.

She was a voice floating in the darkness, unable to find her own body or surroundings.

The half-ghoul wouldn’t have been opposed to it if the heat hadn’t been so blinding, whitehot,like she was being set on fire.

After all, what she last remembered was the burn of ice on her shoulders and the chill of a winter’s night in January.

That hadn’t been very unpleasant, after a while staring at the cloudy, light polluted sky, she had slipped into some other form of consciousness, and eventually, while thinking of some random song –because her phone had died again- she had slipped into unconsciousness.

_ Maybe I’m dead _ she thought. _Or dying. Can Ghouls die of hypothermia?_

Eventually, though, the heat became comfortable. At first, it had felt suffocating and like it was peeling her skin off, she started to grow restless, but it became soothing like stretching sore muscles after practice.

If that was death, then death was comfortable.

Of course, it was then that slowly, slowly, she started gaining awareness of her body.

Her hips were thrown to the side and her legs were folded, her arms laid limp at her sides and her head rested in a hard surface and her hair felt wet and heavy.

First, she tried to shift her hips, but a stab of pain was the only response she got, her everything felt leaden and heavy and her muscles were almost completely locked up.

The last thing that she regained awareness of was her face, and hoping that the pain wouldn’t be too awful, she tried opening her eyes.

At firsther eyelids only trembled.

Eventually, she managed to open them.

Water and marble in front of her.

She was in a bathtub, apparently in her underwear.

To her right something moved, straining her neck, she turned her head.

.

.

Watching the life return to a person was an odd thing, as she started looking human again and the warm water reddened her skin, he couldn’t stop watching.

About an hour had passed until he began zoning off, staring into the clear water and the tiles in his bathroom wall. He missed the slight tremble of her eyelids, but when her eyes did open, disrupting the room’s stillness, he leaned in.

And then she turned to look at him.

It was probably more than five minutes that they just sat there and stared, neither had much in the way of words and it was the second time in a row that they met in a similar fashion.

He wasn’t sure if he was relieved, angry or just tired.

Finally, it was her who seemed to finally gather enough strength to talk, although her voice was mostly a whistling sound “I was in the rooftop” she said. “This isn’t my bathroom”

“It’s mine” He just looked at her “You’re crazy”

“I thought we had already established that- ah” Reina pushed herself up with her arms, only to wince and drop the attempt. “That hurts, how long was I outside?”

“Around ten hours, you damn well nearly froze yourselfsolid” He said, concern overcoming him –to hell with it, he could fight it later, right then he was too tired-.

“I fell asleep” she defended without heat.

“Unconscious you must mean” he grumbled.

“Same thing” She tried to sit up again, this time onlywincingat the expected pain when she used her arms to steady herself. Reina’s face turned serious then “Sorry,though” she said clearly in pain from holding herself up “I made you do something unnecessary”

“What’s it with you and doing things like that?”  that was it, he was done with it, all she ever did was destabilize him, a surge of anger crawled up his throat.

His harsh tone seemed to startle her slightly “I’m like that, I’ve always been like that”

Her small smile was like a challenge, and the way her eyes shone slightly like it was something to be proud of –like neglecting herself like that was making her some sort of bettercreature-. Ayato had probably never been closer to slapping her than then. “Well, what you are is a nuisance then” Instead, he stood up and went back to the room, he felt her shocked eyes follow him as he picked up the long jacket he’d been wearing the day before and threw it over the sink “When you can walk, get out”

Her tired eyes locked with his then, Reina didn’t seem mad or anything of the sort, just worn out, worn down from everything “Yeah, don’t worry” she said, he could tell that she was massaging her cramped leg muscles, her arms seemed to be working fine enough already, even if she winced at certain movements. “I’ll be out of your hair in a bit”

Ayato went to sit on the edge of his bed, somewhere he could not see her struggle with her limbs. He wanted to go in there and shake her –and sort of also wanted to kiss her- to make matters worse, he didn’t have to do anything during the day, the only things he had to check up onwerethe ninth’s clubs, but aside from that, nothing.

He was going hunting, to hell with everything.

In the bathroom, he heard the sloshing of water and the way she gingerly put her feet on the floor.

Then came a muted sound, as if she’d had to hold herself up by grabbing onto the sink.

He could hear the rustle of the towel as she dried herself off and almost smell her warm skin.

Whatever he was feeling, couldn’t go on, he was starting to go crazy.

Then came the metallic rustling of the buckles and the zipper of his jacket.

And an unmistakable clinking sound, the sound of a metallic object falling against porcelain.

Silence.

A dull thump.

And more silence.

See if he cared.

Almost ten minutes passed and she didn’t move, he could barely hear her breathe and even when he made an effort to listen closely, the beat of her heart had only quickened slightly.

And yet she wouldn’t move.

Finally, he got up and walked towards the bathroom.

She was on her knees, a heap of black on the floor, his jacket almost drowned her and it fanned out around her still form.

Pale hands of long, elegant fingers were cupped in front of her chest and something shone in them.

She raised her eyes to him.

“Why do you have this?” Her voice was harder then, shaking, she extended her left hand and slid the ring on her finger

What was he supposed to answer? The truth felt pathetic to admit, and yet there was no other plausible explanation.

“That’s none of yourbusiness” he said, and turned away hopefully she’d drop it, hopefully, she’d forget about it.

Things were never that easy with Reina, he found himself yanked back by his shirt, in a second, she had gotten up, found her footing and jumped across the bathroom at him. Her kakugan was activated.

“It wasn’t with the things that they brought me” shegrowled“Did you do this?”

It was preposterous, plain stupid “I found outyesterday” he said trying to convey as much sincerity as he could, his hands coming up to grip hers.

“Then why do you have my ring?” she ground out. Then, realization seemed to dawn upon her “I… had… when I… No, I didn’t, I left it at home, because of Nikolai.” It wasn’t like that helped, Reina apparently had figured it out that she didn’t have it on when she got taken, that was worse even, maybe, because the only way he could have it was if he had gone to her house. She tensed up again “You went to my house” It was a statement. “When?”

Well, he could always lie and save his ego, but a believable lie would probably cause her to stab him through the stomach.

He looked away, then back at her, the annoyance in her face was plain to see, Reina wasn’t a patient person.

Would just tellingherbe so bad, Reina was pretty good at reading people, she probably already saw through him well enough, and the alternative inevitably would lead to her hating him.

She would live literally two rooms down the hall and would hate him for something he hadn’t even done. The whole thing that had happened between them, had been based on a strange sort of trust that had begun forming when upon learning of his face and name, she hadn’t reported them to the CCG’s databases, and he himself hadn’t appeared with backup to slay her while she slept for the sake of that same information.

It had always seemed like Ayato was at the worst risk, after all, in Tokyo, a human could disappear from where he could find them without even leaving the city, even with Hinami’s talents.

And yet she hadn’t ever said anything.

Of course, he knew that was because Reina was morbidly curious and passively self-destructive, but she hadn’t given him up and if he had learned anything about her was that once she hated a person, she’d loathe them with every pound of her flesh, even if that person was her own mother.

_ I don’t want her to hate me. _ The thought surprised even him, but it was still mostly true.

He had never wished this on her, but he’d have been a liar to try and pretend that it truly bothered him to have her there, the woman was at the very least not annoying and good to converse with, even if she no longer wanted much to do with him in any other sense of the word.

There was also the choice of pushing her away and telling Reina that it was none of her business.

Ayato looked down at the tightly gripping hands.

That would have been way easier if she was human.

So his ego it was.

“Yesterday” He said with a sigh

Her brow furrowed in confusion “What were you doing there _yesterday_?

It was of course, very obvious, but the disbelief in her face told him that it was going to take some explanation.

That was not going to happen, yes, he could admit to himself that he was jealous and worried and whatever the fuck else he had felt for her.

But that was it, to _himself._

The very same way that he looked after his sister without having her realize because that would be too damned pathetic.

Ayato turned his head away and tried to shake her off him “… none of your business” he finally muttered.

Reina however, was now staring at him dumbfounded, the Kakugan in her eye faded quickly, leaving him at the mercy of the steel like gaze he had come to know all too well.

At least, there was no mocking in it, or pity, not yet.

“Were you… looking for me?” She suddenly paled, and winced, he caught the trembling of her knees a second before a whine was torn from her throat and they lost all strength.

So much for that adrenaline rush.

Ayato caught her by the waist a second before she completely slumped to the floor. It was an awkward position, her knees were half-bent and limp and the hands that gripped his shirt had barely any strength. His hands were grabbing his jacket, one just below her behind and one at the middle of her back.

Without really thinking about it, he lifted her -with certain difficulty due to the lack of a solid grip and the position- and looked around, though he already knew it was a fruitless effort, Ayato had lived in that same room for a couple of years; he _knew_ that there were no chairs or couches, he had never been very fond of locking herself up in there, in the rare moments he got when he could’ve done so, much preferring to roam the streets.

His legs took them to the bed, he sat her down as gently as he could, though that didn’t keep her face from twisting into a grimace. As soon as she was settled, her hands gripped his shirt again, trying to keep her back upright.

He could feel her eyes on his profile.

Ayato’s head remained stubbornly turned towards the window.

“Ayato… were you?” it was mostly confused disbelief, but there was also doubt,caution,like the possibility remained that he was lying to her.

Keeping his head where it was, he steeled himself and answered weakly, through the gaps between his blinds he could see the pale blue of the winter sky “I heard about that guy” He said, it was as close as an admission as she was going to get, and a partial truth at that, he wasn’t going to admit that he had gone to her apartment, hoping to catch a glimpse of her almost as soon as he’d come back from the rather dreadful scene he himself had set up in Kyoto.

Knowing Reina as well as he did, Ayato had been expecting for her to sigh or ask him why, instead, she seemed taken aback, her body tensed up and a surprised gasp escaped her throat. “What guy?” She asked.

And that was when he realized his mistake.

Now put on the spot, he figured it was useless to try and hide it, afterall,if he didn’t tell her, she’d figured out all on her own. He struggled to remember the name, aside from being foreign, he hadn’t really spared the guy a second thought that wasn’t comprised mainly of thinly veiled jealousy “The one from that explosion… Volek?” He ground out.

“Vole-? Oh, Nikolai” he could feel his face heating up slightly “How did you know about _him_ then?” her voice dropped, he couldn’t tell if it had become darker, or teasing in nature.

“Hinami and I were ordered to spy on your mother at aparty” He said “She decided to get a bit of info on you too”

“ _That_ party, huh?” He finally looked back again, she was smiling faintly “Well, then she didn’t learn much”

“I know, I helped her transcribe it”

“Oh,” she said, at last, letting go of his shit and allowing her still cramped muscles some relief as she fell back onto his bed. “Why, though?”

He turned to look at her, there it was, the response he had first anticipated “Why what?” he said, buying himself some time.

She looked at him as if telling him to cut the act already“Whylook for me?”

Even with the extra time, he didn’t really have a good excuse “…I was curious?”.

“Are you asking me that?” Reina shifted to lie on her side, wet hair fanning out around her.

He tried to seem the most relaxed, the most disinterested he could “I just had nothing else to do and heard about it”

“Ah…” wincing again, she stretched her arms above her head, the tension is gone from the room now, neither of them is mad anymore, there’s a slight chill in the air and steam still coming out in wisps from the bathroom. Up until that moment, the shock of finding her where he had, the strangeness of the smell that she now emanated as a half-ghoul, the very foreign situation, and the fact that she had almost frozen herself to death; had prevented him from noticing her as a whole –Reina’s presence overshadowed her physical qualities, despite those not being negligible themselves- but outside of the adrenaline from the rooftop and the concern and confusion from everywhere else, he saw her.

And remembered why exactly that whole mess had gone past a couple of fights and some random conversations in her fire escape.

She was laying in his bed, wearing his jacket and a set of soaked underwear.

Her muscles were also obviously not finished healing yet, and she had almost frozen herself solid the night before.

“I was there you know?” her voice snapped Ayato out of his thoughts “at the ‘gas explosion’,” she said with a mocking inflection to her voice. He cocked his head confused “That’s where she took me from”

Both to snap himself out of inappropriate thoughts and because suddenly the world felt a bit heavy and he kind of wanted to lay beside her, Ayato let himself fall back into the mattress. “Figures Eto would do that” he found himself saying.

“She does have a dramaticstreak” Reina said. “Not the kind of boss I’d usually choose, but you know, beggars…”

Ayato turned his head to look at her, it was the second time in under twenty-four hours that they ended up in a similar position –though at least this time, somewhere she wouldn’t ‘accidentally’ fall asleep, even if the thought was endearing somehow- he snorted instead “You’re better off than her usual toys”

Reina smiled “I gathered, Hinami was talking to me as if I might be crazy at first”

“You’ll meet the last onesoon” He said “And see why”

“I thought she was going to do that atfirst” she said, thoughtful “With the way she went about chasing me even when I’d tried to throw myself off the building”

His eyes widened, surprise washing over him “She went for you herself?”

Dull surprise waspatentin her expression “Yeah…” for a second, it looked like a lot was going on in her head, then she closed her eyes and sighed “That’s why I freaked out yesterday, it was a nigh carbon copy scenario, the stairs, the night and the building I didn’t know”

He frowned, remembering how Reina had hesitated at the edge of the rooftop, the way she’d seemed drawn to the empty space in front of her “You thought I was her?”

“I didn’t think” her face went blank “I just panicked” Reina shivered and grasped her ring tightly with her opposite hand.

He sort of wanted to squirm closer “Was that why you… you know?”

“I what?” she shot him a meaningful look “Froze myself?”

He grunted in agreement.

A sigh made its way past her lips “Partly, I remembered the feel of flinging myself off the building and the cold felt like floating too, in a way”

He held back the comment about that being stupid, he knew that she knew, instead, he said quietly “You knew that you were going to die” the very thought filled him with dread, from the moment he had understood that Reina’s death wish was more talk than reality, it had been a bit of a lifted weight, it was strange to think that she had been very well aware of impending death and yet, had still taken the step out into the void.

Reina chuckled, relaxing a little “That’s what a human usually thinks when they jump off of a thirty story building” her eyes found his “It’s just my luck that I didn’t succeed”

“Why are you so accepting then? If you preferred dying to this” the word escaped his mouth before Ayato could stop himself, a bitter tone coating them. It is true after all, that Yoshino non-withstanding, Reina had had a pretty comfortable life for a human’s.

Immediately, however, her face falls and he regrets those words. “I didn’t know it wasthis” she said “Just that some huge monster wanted me alive, and I didn’t have time to think”

“And now you’re fine with it?” He asked.

“Mostly” she closed her eyes “It’s not like there’s anything I can do, so I’m making the best out of it”

Something possessed him then, if she was so unhappy, then she may as well leave “Kaneki seems to be doing well back at the CCG”

Reina laughed sardonically “ _Sasaki_ is treated rather awfully by most people” he eyes opened again “and anyway, Yoshino would have me killed as soon as she figured it out”

“Wasn’t she obsessed with her bloodline or whatever?”

Reina’s eyes drifted down to the ring on her left hand “Not if it doesn’t meet her standards”

“And those don’t have Ghoul in them, I gather” A small streak of devastation could be seen through the cracks in the mask she most often wore then.

“They don’t have manythings” Reinasaid“She only let me fool around with Nikolai because of who he was. I told you once that I had been engaged…” shepassedfor a second “He was a normal human, leader of agangthough, no respectable background.” Her gaze pierced into his “She ordered some scumbags to kill him during a raid, a defenseless human, without any warning, and it’s not nearly the only…”

It was true that he had entertained the idea of something like that having happened, but having it confirmed with such bluntness was baffling. A parent like that… he himself had qualms withhis, but Arata had never been anything if not caring, and even the more bizarre pairs of parents and children that he knew of –likeAnteiku’sold man and the Owl- held each other in at least some sort of twisted affection.

But Reina hadn’t stopped talking, even as he had zoned out for a bit, it was as if someone had opened a tap.

“…Imagine what she’d have done with a Ghoul” this caught his attention; Ayato knew that Reina wasn’t talking about herself anymore, however, he didn’t say anything, it was a discussion he’d rather not havethen, but he also remembered the circumstances in which he had thought of Reina’s mother having been the one to kill her fiancé.

It was likely that she had protected him, even if all along she had been doomed anyway.

“You could kill her” he offered, not knowing what else to say.

Reina shook her head “I’d want nothing more” she looked away “But I don’t think I can” they both knew that she didn’t mean it in the physical way “I’m glad to be rid of her though, and I don’t mind this so long as I don’t end up being controlled like that again”

She wastruly willing to leave everything behind? “You’ve seen how the Owl can be”

“So long as I don’t give her power over me, she’s just anotherboss” Reina said, determination crossing her face “If she didn’t break me it’s because she knows there’s nothing left that she actually can break me with.”

And it was clear as day then, that that whole thing had been done with the only purpose of making Reina yet another thing to tie him down with, and though Eto couldn’t have known the real nature of their relationship –to get within earshot, her spy would’ve had to risk detection, unless they were Hinami, and he was sure that she hadn’t been involved- he realized that she was succeeding.

Because of that, for just a moment, he wanted to push Reina away, just for a fleeting moment he thought of cutting her out of his life, as protection to both him and her; then he realized that there was nothing he could do about her being there, short of killing her, he couldn’t reverse what had happened any more than he could go back and prevent Arata from leaving that afternoon and never coming back.

Reina, however, went suddenly very still, and he could observe as emotions flashed across her face, each unleashing the next one.

And the moment breaks –without either of them realizing, it had become one of their quiet, introspective, extemporal moments-.

First, confusion, then, realization and finally, sad resignation.

He had known her for a few months -and hadn’t even gotten to spend a whole one with her as they had been before Reina had cut everything off- but that time seemed to stretch somehow, like the undercurrents of time had been at work more during the stolen moments they’d spent together, speaking in small voices or tangled under her sheets, like the moments that he had spent trying not to think about her had been the total stretch of his nights and not only the minutes preceding sleep; and because of this, he could see it then.

The walls closing behindgreyirises, and the slight tightening to the corners of her mouth.

A slight shift in each of every one of her features that made her look almost exactly like her mother.

Maybe it was better to let her go through with the decision –one, that unlike most of theirs during that uncertain stretch of time, would be final, definitive-, it would close one of the openings that despite their reluctance, undoubtedly left them just a little more vulnerable, to one side of the war or another.

Random thoughts swirled and skipped around his head, visions of fluttering curtains and ghostly, airy voices, singing along foreign tunes that he had never heard.

_ A strange feeling, _ he thought, because it was like he couldn’t concentrate in the woman in front of him, slowly lifting her aching body from his bed, and yet his mind was full of her, concentrated in minute details that he hadn’t thought relevant at the moment.

Inside the maze of dancing thoughts and dense cigarette smoke he couldn’t even tell what he felt, there was caring to it, of course, -and now, he could admit it, now that at least technically, she wasn’t supposed to be his enemy- but she wasn’tTouka,or Hinami, and if he’d been in a similar situation to either of them, he’d have let them leave, watched from afar –hell, that was the whole  rundown of his relationship with Touka- to protect them from his allies and getting stronger himself to hide them from their enemies.

Merely thinking of doing that with her –though the physical distance would be much, much shorter, just a small stretch ofhallway- sent waves of possessiveness racing through hisblood,as if it too were a substance that could be secreted by some part of his body upon stimulus on his brain.

He was content with knowing Touka safe, he didn’t feel a need to be by her.

That didn’t mean he loved her any less –and it was the reason he expressed it the way he did-.

And he wasn’t sure what he _felt,_ what he even _thought_ of Reina, but…

She was quiet spots of suspended reality.

Suspendedreality that he really needed, sometimes.

If that even made sense.

–it was the combination of randomly thrown together words that his mind came out with as the bending/dancing/racing thoughts wouldn’t stop moving around in it-

“I’m going then, I guess” She was holding herself up on weak legs “Sorry I did something like that” But her gaze was steady and the very opposite of open “I’ll bring your jacket by in a bit” she was after all, still her stubborn self.

And he’d thought he’d lost that.

_ Not that I ever had it, not that I have it now or ever could. _ He told the insistent feelings in his head _I don’t even know if I want it._

His mouth opened, and against his better judgment, a sound half a whisper and half a growl slipped out “Rei- I” she turned around, hair half dry and fluttering in waves around her. Ayato took the chance and grabbed her wrist through the sleeve of his jacket, it was obvious in her eyes that she was trying not to let her curious streak take over “I thought she’d broken you” He didn’t know why he saidit,though it was the truth.

The second she had turned around at the rooftop, just after he had recognized her for who she was, the fact that she had become another pitiful puppet, filled him with foreign dread.

Her lips parted, but nothing came out of her mouth.

Ayato would’ve laughed at the ridiculous situation a couple of months before.

Reina’s legs trembled just a little bit more violently, and his grip on her wrist became just an ounce too tight, the pull, a unit too strong.

She yelped, and fell against him, a dull sound followed the moment her knees hit the bed.

It was an awkward position, with her head pressed to the upper part of his stomach and her thighs tangled slightly with his calves.

Reina looked up at him.

His hands hooked under her arms, with enough force to leave bruises if she had still been human, and sheyelped,but used her legs to boost he body up all the same.

Flush against each other, she was still slightly chilly, he could feel it through the thin cotton shirt he was wearing. The buckles and zippers of his jacket jingled and he could feel every dip and curve of her body on account of it being nearly bare.

Her hair fell on his chest as she craned her head to the side and he shivered involuntarily.

There was a quiet second before they kissed, very reminiscent of the moments he’d tried to explain to himself earlier, comfortable quietness, ironically accompanied by unquenchable want.

When he knew her settled in the bed his hands buried themselves in the midnight colored mass of her hair, and she drew her lips closer than the very solidity of their bodies would allow them

Ayato’s hands wrapped around her torso underdejacket, and she herself slipped her hands beneath his sleeping shirt to press them against his stomach, the cold touch startling him slightly before her teeth caught his lower lip and bit down softly, dragging an embarrassing moan from his throat.

It was something that he had missed.

Throughout the whole ordeal in Kyoto, he’d sort of wanted a moment like that, Reina had actually become a bit of a place to go back to and forget that half of the world was intent on hunting him and those of his species down –which was ironic too- but from the time she had decided to ask him random questions out of what he knew well to be simple morbid curiosity, Reina hadn’t seen him under the stigma of ‘ghoul’ even if she had known, perhaps better than anyone else save for himself what exactly he was.

And for that reason, Eto had probably not made a greater effort to break her. No matter what Reina said about not having anything important enough that it would’ve broken her to lose or destroy, he knew that the Owl could be relentless, Takizawa himself had lasted a remarkable amount of time, and even though it was sick, Eto’s methods were justified by the fact that a One Eyed Ghoul betraying them could lead to significant losses –of course, there was no need for the torture if there weren’t subjects but that was not a point _anyone_ was going to concede upon, it was unfair, and shitty, but such was the world- but the Owl had watched them for long enough, he figured, to believe that with the right prompting, Reina could become, not only a –mostly- sane One Eye, but an actual asset, a valuable pawn.

Knowing so was bittersweet, mostly because it meant that the woman in his arms would have a harder time escaping than he himselfwould,if she ever grew desperate enough to try and desert the Tree.

Reina held herself up on her hands, eyes bearing into his, she looked soft, all pretense dropped –Ayato had felt the walls that she had begun to erect crumble under his touch- “You’re thinking about grim things”

He ran his fingersup,until they brushed against her scapulae “How do you know?” the Ghoul whispered.

“Your grip gets heavier… I don’t know, something like that, I just know” with some effort, she planted her knees on the bed and her nose skimmed a path along his neck “Doesn’t it happen to you sometimes?”

He smiled slightly, or he thought he did “I know you’re confused”

“Hmm” she laughed and it rumbled against his throat “Very”

“And you’ve given up on leaving.” Gently -because he’d seen her still wince at some movements,thoughfor the most, her muscles seemed to have healed from the frostbite- he coaxed her to lie in a more vertical position on the bed and turned around so they were facing each other.

Her eyes met his “I’m tired” she said simply, stretching up to plant a small kiss on his lips as her body pressed up to his and his arms automatically slid wound her waist, legs tangling with hers.

That was absolutelynew,and terrifying.

Neither of them seemed intent on moving, even to take things further.

Her nose was pressed to the underside of his jaw and her lips to his throat; at some point the chill plaguing her body had disappeared, as if they had reached an equilibrium in temperature between them.

Suddenly feeling very tired despite the full night of sleep, lulled by her even breaths, he closed his eyes.

.

.

_ “Call both of them down by noon Hina-chan” the woman had giggled, leaning against the corridor wall, amusement visible in her face _ _ “There’s _ _ a few things I have to tell them, along with Reina-chan’s new duties of course” _

_ “O-oh, she wanted to know if I can take her outside” she’d said, suddenly remembering the older woman’s request. _

_ The _ _ green haired _ _ woman had frowned “I guess there’s no harm in it, but only you and Ayato-kun, ok?” her tone had been sickly sweet “Just make sure to remind her that there _ are _things she stands to lose”_

_ And then, she had skipped away happily. _

Hinami brought the platter up, she was used to Eto’s contradictive personality.

After all, she had been there for a while, and thankfully, it was barely nine, so hopefully, Reina would’ve pulled herself together by the time the Owl wanted to see her and Ayato.

Eto’s first question when they’d run into each other at the corridor had been if she had figured it all out yet.

Hinami had said yes.

Cruel as it was, she could say nothing more, or do anything about it.

She clambered up the stairs, she’d taken a moment to eat something herself, knowing that Ayato wasn’t expecting her back soon.

She prayed Reina was awake and they had talked things out, she hoped that Ayato had realized some very obvious things.

-because really, anyone should’ve been able to tell from the way he’d talked when the night before, she had dragged the whole story out of him-

The door to Ayato’s bedroom was firmly shut, she knocked a couple of times, upon receiving no answer –and noticing that there were two sets of heartbeats inside- she twisted the handle to a scene that she had already been imagining.

The mess of tangled limbs on the bed didn’t even move –though she couldn’t help but notice thehalf-ghoul’slack of attire, Hinami flushed, glad no one else had seen either thing- how peaceful they looked warmed her chest a bit.

Very quietly –so much so that even she could barely hear it- she set the platter down on the floor and scribbled a note in a rare notebook of Ayato’s which she left beside the meat figured that, if neither of them had woke up hungry until then, she’d wake them up at half eleven.

Neither seemed that keen on grooming for an extended period of time anyway.

.

.

A loss of warmth woke him up, he saw her clamber off the bed and pad across the room towards a plate brimming with what he could hazard a guess at being meat.

_ Why is… _  He then remembered Hinami had promised to be back at some point with food. _Oh…_

Afterwards, after Reina had bent down and retrieved the platter –as well as a piece of paper- with seemingly minimum pain, he realized that for Hinami to have left that there, she had probably seen them.

He was sure that his cheeks were slightly pink then, the smile that he could see in Reina’s eyes as she walked back towards him confirmed it.

“Apparently the boss wants both of us down bynoon” she said, and extended the platter towards him “Want some?”

 Ayato rubbed his eyes and stretched. She was standing a couple of feet from the bed, too far, he did kind of want a snack, even if investigators were more his style of meals “Come here” He drawled, and then, her former statement sinking in, he asked “What time is it?”

“Eleven” She yawned and handed him the piece of paper “And you come here, we’ll get blood on the sheets”

He looked down, and his eyes fund Hinami’s elegant script.

_ She wants you two down by noon, I’ll wake you up if it gets too late. _

__ And then under that.

_  I’m glad. _

If he hadn’t been blushing before, he was then, instead of dwelling on it, he looked up at her, Reina had taken a strip of meat from the platter and was biting off little chunks of it, humming at the taste.

Eto had probably not fed her much, or at least, not much human meat, her kagune had looked wonky.

He frowned, annoyed, still not in the mood to get up. “Doesn’t matter, I always get blood on them anyway”

She puffed out her cheeks “If you say so”

She walked up to the bed, with legs making a spectacle of themselves as they shifted under his jacket, and sat beside him.

There was a smidge of blood on the side of her mouth.

He wanted to lick it off.

Reina extended the platter out to him and he took a chunk, chewing on it absentmindedly, eyes stuck on the little smear.

Until she leaned in and licked off what he supposed, had been a similar artifact of eating on this chin.

Once that happened, he didn’t hesitate either.

.

.

By twelve, they were both downstairs–she had stopped for a hair tie and a change of clothes, meanwhile, he’d changed from the now blood smeared pajamas- in the training room that Reina remembered better than most things.

Eto pranced in, someone followed her, they wore the usual cape and mask ofAogiri’s,and held a teapot with what smelt like coffee.

It was a rather odd scenario, considering that both of them had seen her kakuja form.

But the coffee smelt amazing.

For once he found himself craving it outside of when outside –Reina too, seemed eager to get at it-.

They weren’t standing close, or keeping contact in anywat, but it took one look from the Owl for her to smirk and say “I see you found my little present without any help, Ayato-kun” As a shiver made its way down his spine, he wondered if their lips were bruised “Come sit, the two of you, we have a few things to discuss”

And bydiscuss, she meant that she had suggestions –orders- for them.

It was baffling that she was sending Reina out so early –something was up- the dark haired woman had tensed up herself at the other’s voice.

The way she had freaked out at the stairs wasn’t something that he couldforget,though he figured no less was to be expected of the Owl’s methods.

Silent, they both walked towards the couches and sat down in front of the cups of coffee.

Surprisingly, Reina spoke first, in the haughty tone that he’d sometimes imagined her speaking to her superiors with “What is it you want?” she said, taking a sip of the coffee, still careful not to sound defying.

It was some sort of code, a way of saying something because there was no dangerous look from Eto, she only smiled, a smile filled with amusement “Well, if we start with you, Reina- _chan_ ” she said “I want you to go along on a few recon missions with Hinami-chan, you’re going downtown, but I believe you know the place” she extended a piece of paper with an address and some other lines of text to Reina, there was a photo attached.

Reina huffed “I thought the ninth was almost fully occupied”

“Itis” The older half-ghoulsaid“But these are special people, and I’m going to use them to catch some bigger ones, so you can’t scare them, understand? Anyway, it’s better if you do it there because you’ll have shelter and back up if there are any Doves, I believe that you know where some of our bars are” Eto directed her gaze at both of them then, smiling lasciviously.

It wasn’t a _surprise_ that she knew, exactly, though…. Reina’s voice was very sober when she said “I do”

“Very well, Ayato-kun, you’ll have to be on guard in case they need help, whenever they choose to dothis,though it has to be within the week. I also want you to give the fourteenth to Naki-kun and start on the fifteenth yourself”

“I’m guessing I keep my duties in the ninth?” Eto nodded.Newward, newdovesto kill, hesmirked“Shall I take anyone?” he eyed the woman beside him, seeing her hunt would be interesting.

Eto smirked back “Whoever you want but Reina-chan” she said, “I don’t want her being seen much yet, and that reminds me, take her to get a mask” He ground his teeth, slightly annoyed “Oh don’t worry, you two get a mission all to yourselves, well, and Shachi-san, if you need him”

Reina’s expression was caught between a grimace and a smile “And what would this be?”

It sounded interesting, exciting even, for the _three_ of them to be involved –and from what little he had seen, Reina’s strength was already nothing to scoff at- it had to be something big.

“A whole squad has arrived this morning you see, their leader was already in the city, but it seems like they’re ready to take action already” she said “You can choose how to deal with them, I’d suggest doing so one by one though” Reina’s expression suddenly fell, he observed how the realization took over her face “For nowI just want the rest dead, the leader can be tricky, but I’ll be happy if you get her too” He didn’t miss the dramatic tone, the way that Eto spoke, it was clear enough that she was doing so to put Reina on edge, from the very interaction between the two, he already knew who it was about. Eto took a deep breath andspoke“It’s the Akagi squad.”

Reina didn’t move, didn’t blink, she was impassive staring at the woman.

She looked like a wax doll.

“We’ll take care of it-” He rushed tosay,if only to spare them the veiled threats.

“Is something wrong Reina-can? I remember you saying you’d do this if you had to”

His eyes landed on the woman’s face, her own widened and closed a few times, before she drew in a deep breath and her face became a mask of stone.

He almost reached out when her cold, almost too deep voice pierced through the room after she swallowed some of the coffee, no doubt to help her speak when her throat had gone dry.

“I can”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gods, some of this was so sappy… At least drunk me respected the plotline this time around.  
> I’d love to hear your thoughts


	14. Returning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who wants another drunkenly written chapter? I hope this makes sense, this relationship is finally advancing –so I hope it isn’t too OOC- thanks to everyone who faves/alerts or reviews, you make my day.  
> I recommend listening to Sleeping at Last’s planet –named songs while reading the fluffy scene/s (or in general, they are great)

The man was… odd, to say the least.

To be fair, the whole situation was, she’d expected to stay at the eleventh, or at least, go to the ninth or the thirteenth, instead, Reina found herself walking through the familiar streets of Shinjuku.

Her old apartment was a not so short walk away.

Well, it wasn’t like she could go, even if Ayato’s –still slightly wary eyes- weren’t on her.

The good thing about Shinjuku and its crowds, however, was that she was able to walk without much fear of being seen by someone who might know her –though she still planned to buy a blonde wig- although she was still wearing some nondescript black pants and blouse, -and Ayato’s jacket, which she had kidnapped because it was cold and she’d never had many jackets for whoever had raided her apartment to have brought over for her- and her hair was high up in a bun.

Not exactly incognito, but also not something that anyone would expect her to be wearing –and the jacket reached her mid thighs anyway- and when they reached the less populated streets, it helped her blend in.

Finally, in an alley where every available surface seemed to host some form of graffiti, they stopped.

**_HySy ArtMask Studio._ **

It looked discreet, no different than any of the buildings that surrounded it –though probably that was the point-. The door was surprisingly open, Ayato pushed it and motioned for her to follow him.

The inside was surprising, though.

Masks of every design that she could imagine lined the walls of the spacious room, at the end of it, she could see a figure quietly hunched over a table, with only the light of a lamp to guide his job.

“Uta” Ayato said dryly.

“Ayato-kun” the man turned around, in the dim lighting, Reina could only half make out his eccentric appearance, it took him approaching the silently for her to note the permanently activated kakugan and almost half of the tattoos –which from afar had almost looked like lace- “What brings the Tree here?” He said, in a manner that was almost too soft. The man’s eyes drifted to her “And who is this young lady?”

Reina felt a chill go down her spine, maybe it was just the atmosphere and his appearance, but there was something…odd about him.

Still, it wasn’t a completely awful feeling.

Ayato seemed about to present her when she opened her mouth “My name is Reina” if there was one good thing to the whole Ghoul business it was that she could forgo her last name and its burdens.

“It’s a pleasure, Reina-san” the man said and turned back to Ayato “What can I do for you?”

Ayato clicked his tongue and jerked a thumb towards her “She needs a mask”

The kakugan were again on her, a thoughtful expression slipped over the man’s face as his red irises raked over her features. He reached out one of his arms and pulled a stool out from a shadowy corner. “Come sit, then, Reina-san”

“Of course” she said, eyes quickly taking a peek of the sketch that the man was working on at his desk.

Well, at least they had something in common.

Reina settled down on the stool as Ayato leaned against a table “Do you wear your hair up or down usually?” Uta asked as he slipped into a small back room for a second where he rummaged around what sounded like a lot of papers and pins for a while.

“U-uh, down, most of the time” He pulled out another notebook and some metric tape, then started measuring her face.

“Any allergies? To metal, plastic, leather?”

“As far as I know, no”

“Excuse me asking, Reina-san” He said while holding the tape between one corner of her mouth and the outer corner of her eye “You’re a half-ghoul right?”

“Yes” Reina smiled at the man’s soft manners “I’m starting to realize that we’re not as scarce as I once thought”

“Hmm” the man looked concentrated “I’ve met a few. Would you like to have only your Kakugan uncovered? Or both of your eyes?”

“I guess, both of them?” she said, being short one eye would mess with depth perception, she already screwed up with putting too much force behind her kagune and making it hard to retract.

“I see…” He continued “You’re an experienced fighter, no? I can tell by how you move”

“You could say that” scratch everything, it was back to being weird.

“Oh and do you like animals?” he said “Maybe an animal motif would suit you although something more classical might do too”

“I like cats, mostly” In the background, Ayato scoffed. For a second, a pang of forlornness pierced through her, she wondered if Kami had taken Mik like she had promised.

He might have just been a rather hissy and lazy cat but it had been the closest to company that she had had for two years, she hadn’t lived with anyone since Shu. “I see...” that man said that too much “I wonder, though, do you have a lover?”

And that was where discomfort came in full force, she didn’t know how good the other’s sense of smell was, someone less gifted than Hinami would’ve been able to tell within seconds that she smelt like Ayato all over, so maybe he was playing with her, setting a trap. Still, it wasn’t like she could tell the man something that she didn’t know herself. “No, not at the moment”

She hadn’t been paying attention, she didn’t know how Ayato had reacted beside her, so she settled for telling the truth, or at least what her rational side told her, was closest to it.

“Is that so?” She nodded, playing with her indeed “But you have been in love, haven’t you?”

She cocked her head, he clicked his tongue and pulled her back “What do you think Uta-san?” she said softly as well.

“You look like you have” He stated simply.

Reina hummed “You’re good at reading people”

“Thank you, it’s something of a hobby” He put away the tape and stared at her, bending down to sketch something on the notebook. Apparently, he noticed her staring, as he asked: “Do you like drawing?”

Reina looked away “A bit”

“You look like you would be artistic” he said, and she nodded “may I ask what your profession is?” he shot a look at Ayato “Or was?”

“It’s a bit complicated” the words were fast out of her mouth, no need to reveal _that._

“Oh” he said, understanding “that’s alright, we all have our pasts”

Then the slight stillness of the room was suddenly interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

“U-chan” a woman’s voice all but sang from the foyer. “I brought you _that_ thing that you- Oh you have customers” She was beautiful, wearing a tight black dress and a winter coat, she held two folders and a bag with what seemed to be medium sized tubes and a bottle of wine in her hands. Her hair was bright orange. “Oh Ayato-chan is here, and so is- oh”

 _I was right._ Was the first thought that crossed her mind, the second was; _and she isn’t even pretending, although I guess that’s to be expected._

 Reina turned and shot a glance at Ayato, he looked all but ready to bury his face into his palm.

“I think I have seen you somewhere before” the woman said, smiling, Reina had the same feeling that she had had the first time she had met her. “I’m sorry I don’t remember your name, I own a bar, you see and well, it’s quite a way to remember faces, but not names”

Despite this, well, she wasn’t an investigator anymore “Probably, your face seems familiar as well, though I too, can’t place it” she said calmly.

“Itori” Ayato saluted from his place leaning on the table. “Strange to see you away from the bar” He said with narrowed eyes.

“Oh, I was just bringing some snacks for U-chan” she responded, far too cheerfully, holding up the bag with the tubes. Reina could just wonder “Since Ren-chan hasn’t been around much lately, we haven’t really seen each other”

Ayato pressed his lips tighter together, mumbling something under his breath.

“So, what’s your name?” she said, again looking at Reina.

“Reina”

Sparkles seemed to jump from the woman’s eyes “I see, well, you’re invited to drop by the bar anytime” The woman handed Reina a card “Drag Ayato-kun down with you too, he needs to have more fun”

“Don’t tempt me” Reina smiled at her conspicuously “I’m in need of a rest”

“Well, you’ll be welcome” Her eyes fell on her body, Ayato’s jacket to be exact, and she smirked “Why don’t you two stay for a snack, though? Are you almost done there, U-chan?”

The tattooed man chuckled, looking up from his sketch “Mostly. Would you like a half mask, or a full mask, Reina-san?”

“I’d rather a full mask” she answered, there was always the chance that she could bump on Sasaki or Akira, maybe even Kami, Shiina or Fumiko some years down the line.

“Very well, then, we’re done, I’ll send it to your base once it’s completed, it shouldn’t be more than a couple of days” Reina thanked him and stood from the stool, moving to lean on the table beside the blue haired ghoul.

“Thank you” Ayato said, clearly eager to leave “Aogiri will pay you the usual way”

“Ah Ayato-chan” the woman chided, Ayato’s face twisted up in an annoyed manner “You’re so business like” She had laid four wine glasses across the table at some point, and was skillfully filling them as she spoke. “Let’s toast” she handed a glass to each of them and proceeded to pull out a jar containing some kind of spherical, gooey objects.

Despite everything, Reina had never seen a whole eyeball, so up close.

She smiled politely and took one when the woman offered them to her, though, and Ayato did the same.

She looked back at him as he put the thing in his mouth and swallowed it whole.

It smelt all right.

She was sure that her Kakugan had activated, still, she put the eye in her mouth and swallowed.

“To new things” Itori said, rather nonsensically, but clearly eyeing them, and probably taking note of their mingled smells.

Reina drank, relishing in the velvety texture of the blood and watched the other’s make small talk for a few minutes –mainly Itori, with some grunts from Ayato and some affirmations from Uta-.

“We have to go” Ayato said after some time.

“Alright, see you later, Ayato-chan, Reina-chan” Itori said.

Uta simply smiled and waved, then reminded Reina that the mask would arrive shortly.

The pair from Aogiri stepped out of the shop.

.

.

Ayato headed straight for the station, looking annoyed and she walked behind him, a little slower, observing.

Reina had lived in a couple of big cities, Tokyo included though she had never seen much of St Petersburg and had been maybe too young to wander around on her own in Beijing. It wasn’t that the hustle of the city, especially in Shinjuku, startled her, but it was terribly distracting. She had a new nose, new eyes even –because as a human she had always needed glasses that she had never bothered to get, as a Ghoul, that necessity seemed to have disappeared- and everything as an explosion of color, of scents, it was overwhelming at the same time that it was marvelous, and she had been trapped in a room of white walls that only smelt of blood and bleach for time that seemed to stretch across centuries in her few and far in-between alone, waking moments.

There was also the fact that she had things to do, and didn’t want to badger Hinami into doing her favors anymore, she and Ayato were after all in the very place where she could get all that she needed –and inwardly, she was glad that she had taken out some money from the safe, what she planned to spend, was after all, not enough to so much as chink her reserves- and maybe tease him a little too.

She really didn’t want to go back yet.

Her hand found the sleeve of his coat before he crossed the street in front of the station.

He turned around, looking at her with slight annoyance in his face.

“I need to get some stuff” she explained, hooking her arm through his. He tensed up but made no move to shake her off.

“Can’t those wait?” he said.

“If you’re willing to bring me over here again” she said raising an eyebrow at him “C’mon, we can have coffee or something” She pulled at their joined arms, he didn’t budge “Please” Reina said with a huff.

He grunted but let himself be carried off.

First was the wig, blonde, long, and as realistic looking as it got, it would make for a good disguise. Then came a pair of boots and a coat, then some small speakers for her phone, then art supplies and lastly, some toiletries and a couple of books –she figured she might as well read the one book by Murakami that she was missing-.

Ayato kept his eyes on her all of the time, sometimes amused and sometimes vigilant, at certain moments, she wondered if he’d ask her where the money was coming from, even if it was none of his business –after all two small diaries were hardly enough to fill up a safe, even if they were inside too, and she wasn’t leaving so much money for some lucky idiot to find-.

A couple of hours later, finally, she dragged him into a small, hole in the wall, coffee store.

It smelt heavenly, and it was almost empty.

They say down in a booth with a window that overlooked a small back alley, filled with what looked like someone’s garden.

It was impressive, in a way, or maybe that was only because Reina had never been able to keep flowers alive for more than a couple of days –if Mik hadn’t eaten them before they wilted, that was- but the dedication put into it was obvious in every carefully pruned branch and straightened flower.

The waitress appeared soon, Reina almost scrambled to look at the menu, before remembering that she didn’t really have to.

“May I take your orders, Mister, Miss?”

“A large coffee please” she said, smiling at her, though the woman hardly seemed to notice, looking at Ayato as she was.

Absentmindedly, the woman jotted it down on her pad, shooting her a slightly judgmental look “And what can I get you, Mister?” The tone of her voice was overly sweet, slightly suggestive, a pang of possessiveness coursed through Reina before she noticed Ayato’s extremely uncomfortable expression.

“Same thing” he said turning his head sharply towards the window.

As the disheartened girl left, Reina couldn’t help but chuckle, noticing also the slight tinge of pink that painted his high cheekbones.

He shot another annoyed glance at her, Reina stopped and leaned back into the chair instead.

He had sat on the side of the table where winter sunlight fell after it streamed through the lace curtains, hair and eyes flashing purple in the cold, bright glow.

For a second, she asked herself if it was maybe her newly enhanced eyes, or the complete one-eighty in perspective that she necessarily had gone through, but Ayato looked almost too young sometimes for how he spoke. Reina wasn’t oblivious enough to believe that most people thought otherwise of her, though, but it was still a thing to ponder on, especially when she remembered that she had turned eighteen not long before and he… Well, how old was he?

Obviously, he wasn’t that much older than her, maybe not at all.

Saying that it felt odd that she didn’t even know that after everything was an understatement.

Reina looked out of the window, at the already-diminishing snow and the black birds standing on the eaves of a building a street away.

Yoshino had once told her that she was shameless, rash, and she had been right, anyways, could it hurt? It was true that she had reunited with the man only a couple days before, but she really didn’t know how to speak to him at all, the kind of relationship that they had had before, had been filled with boundaries that they both knew inherent to their nature, necessary to their safety, and those boundaries seemed to be stuck in an awkward in-between then, when circumstances had changed to the point of making it so that, at least in favor of safety, they weren’t needed but Reina didn’t know how to talk to him without sticking to them and she had a feeling that he was in the same situation.

“Hey” her voice was almost above a whisper, his eyes shifted to her, curious, slightly surprised “How old are you?”

Clearly the question caught him off guard, the beginnings of a sneer formed in his face, although it fell as a tray was placed in front of them, the same waitress, still smiling blindingly at him.

“Is there anything else I can get you?”

Both answered “No” and she, again, left looking like a rejected puppy.

Reina busied herself with the coffee, lifting the oversized mug to her nose and inhaling the heavenly scent –as a ghoul, it was much, much better- to fill the bubble of awkwardness that had grown.

“Nineteen” his voice was gruff and he was still looking out of the window.

“Oh” She said, and possessed by some impulse asked “When’s your birthday?”

He shot her a sideways look, all narrowed, disbelieving eyes –although something told her that he was more surprised by the fact that he was responding to her than her questions; Reina had after all, always been nosy- “July fourth” he grumbled and took a sip at his coffee “when’s yours?”

“September seventh” she said, feeling slightly self-conscious for some reason “I’m eighteen”

“And curious” he remarked.

Reina chuckles “You say that as if you didn’t know me”

“That was random, even for you” his head turned towards her “I thought you were going to say something a little deeper”

“Well I _was_ thinking of something like that” Reina pouted “But in context it makes sense that I asked”

“Well enlighten me” He said, unimpressed gaze holding hers as he ducked this head and pressed his lips to the rim of the cup.

Reina could feel a small blush creeping up her cheeks “I just figured that you looked young, and then realized that I didn’t really know much about you at all, aside from some things from that report, because we never really asked, before, and there were reasons for that” she took a deep breath “Good ones, but most of them don’t really apply now, that’s why I asked” He just looked at her, seeming mildly dumbfounded. “So you see, in context it makes sense.”

“Tch, it’s not like you don’t know plenty of things” He took another sip “I don’t know that much either.”

“You know most things about Yoshino” her hands trembled a bit as she lifted the cup to her lips “And about Shu”

Ayato hummed, she noticed as his eyes fell on the ring that adorned her left hand, she hadn’t taken it off after that morning, the familiar silver band was a comforting weight on her hand “Well, you know about my- my” the forced nonchalance was rather obvious, Reina smiled.

“Brother? Sister?” he stiffened; Reina saved that information for later “Cousin?”

“Yeah, about them” His eyes narrowed “There’s no need for either of us to know more”

Eyes closing, sipping at her coffee, she smiled with slight resignation “No, there isn’t” she said leaning into her elbows as she felt the coffee warm her insides “But I like to do unnecessary things”

“Don’t I know that” he was again, looking at the sky outside, though it wasn’t very late, darkness was beginning to creep in already, Reina wondered if it’d snow again that night.

Well, he clearly didn’t want to talk about things, and Reina was a bit tired already, she had after all been sleeping for more than half the day, although the level of physical exhaustion couldn’t be compared of course. She just wanted to head home and cuddle with Mik –or maybe Ayato, but she wasn’t about to tell him, if it happened, it’d be unplanned like in the morning-, although that was pretty much impossible.

“You do” Tiredly, she chuckled “I miss Mik, you know? I don’t suppose we can have pets?”

His laugh was quiet, but genuine “Try at your own risk” he said “There are a few nutcases around” Reina puffed out her cheeks and he turned away again before continuing “Your friend has that beast of yours, as far as I know”

Well, that was good news, mostly, Kami, against every stereotype that had ever existed, was pretty good with animals and liked them well. She was also far more responsible than Reina and the black haired woman was pretty sure that she’d take care of him “How do you?”

Her cup was almost empty “Tch…” was his answer.

It didn’t take much effort to figure out, Reina smiled “Oh”

They finished in silence, and left some cash on the table, neither very keen on calling the waitress back, Reina’s impromptu shopping trip had taken them far from the station, and night was quickly taking over, making the chill in the air more of a bone penetrating blast of cold.

Reina let her hair loose and burrowed deeper into the oversized jacket, hoping to conserve some sort of warmth before it was snatched away.

Although she shouldn’t have been, she was surprised by how well her muscles had healed after the stint she had pulled the night before, there was, of course, lingering soreness, which after an afternoon of moving around, had turned into an aching in the joints of her hips and legs and she could feel a slight headache coming in.

Could Ghouls catch colds? She almost asked him, as they walked side by side down the crowded streets of bundled up strangers, but he seemed pretty lost in his thoughts, and a cold or whatever the headache was, the oncoming headlights of rush hour traffic incensed it as the cars closed in on them.

They walked slowly, there was no real rush to reach the train station, not at that hour when it would all be crowded, the masses of human beings trapped in a small space providing an artificial warmth that would make going out into the cold once again a rather unpleasant experience.

And then she saw them.

Of course, it wasn’t like they were trying to hide, they walked completely comfortable in their long white coats, holding the silver suitcases.

She thanked whatever entity was up there for her eyesight.

Thankfully, the figures that approached them at the crowds pace were neither Akira nor Sasaki, nor anyone that might have cared much about her.

Or at least, two of the three weren’t.

Fujiwara wasn’t that likely to recognize her in the throng of random strangers, so long as they didn’t run into each other directly, and the other two she faintly remembered having seen around headquarters, though no names came to mind in the couple of seconds in which she stared at their faces.

She could take the gamble.

But she had better things to do with the wild card of her identity than let them see her in Shinjuku, and god knew that the older woman was thirsty enough to be in Yoshino’s favor that she’d probably report it back to her within a minute.

Crossing the street was out of the question, traffic was heavy but fast and it would only have called for more attention.

Without thinking much on it, Reina grasped his arm and pulled him closer, hand squeezing down for just a second to let him know not to move away. As the three investigators got closer, she shot Ayato a panicked glance before stopping in her tracks and burying her face in the hollow of his neck.

Understanding her intentions, his arms snaked around her back, he smelt a little like blood and a little like musk, and she figured that what she did next –looking up at him and bringing her fingers up to tangle in his hair and pull his face close, joining their lips in a rather soft kiss- was as much part of the charade as it was her own selfish impulse to have him close.

The crowd parted to avoid them and the group wearing with coats passed the two by without much more than a brief glance and some comment about teenagers, his lips melded into hers and he held her tighter, kissing back with fervency despite the situation that had sparked it all.

A while passed and they parted with white puffs of breath escaping their mouths.

“She was- “for some reason Reina tried to explain it, it had been a rather rash thing to do, after all.

“I know” he said softly, as they resumed the walk, her arm snaked around his “They’ll probably find out eventually, you know that.”

“Yeah” she sighed talking as low as she dared “But we are supposed to go seek Yoshino out, not the other way around, if push comes to shove I can be bait for her”

Sharp, he understood almost immediately “Weren’t you raving about how she’ll try to kill you as soon as she knows?” he said, and Reina didn’t meet his gaze “Unless that’s what you’re going for”

It was a statement

“She’ll want to do it herself” she said, the station as coming closer. “That’s probably why the Owl put me in this mission”

“Probably, or maybe because she’s a sadist” he said thoughtfully “it’s a good idea, even if we don’t have to get rid of her”

“We’ll have to at least fight her” she answered “There is at least one, Hisakawa Masato that won’t leave her side. I was surprised not to see him when she first came around”

He frowned “In battle, separating them shouldn’t be that hard” the whole squad was dangerous, picking them off one by one was the safest option, but also one of the hardest to set up.

Reina shook her head “He doesn’t leave her side for more than minutes at a time when they are together, they usually stay in her house in town too, at least since her husband died”

“Like Eto and Tatara…” He drifted off “So we should take them out first, leave the other’s running around like a headless chicken”

“If we can, it’d be ideal, if we get them in a secluded place, there’s no chance either will run to try and tell the others”

“How are you so sure?” it was more of a question to himself “You hadn’t seen her in a long time from what you’ve told me”

“He’s been there since before I was born, and he only ever left her when she asked him to. She had to send him away even when she got married to my brother’s dad, they won’t separate…” Reina smiled “Because she’s prideful, and he loves her” she answered simply “I think she loves him too, but with that woman it’s hard to tell”

“So they are- “

She cut him off, hands balling into fists “No” Ayato looked at her confused, the station was ahead of the crossing “He’s not _suitable”_ she spat out bitterly, keeping her gaze straight ahead “She couldn’t be with someone of lower standing”

The lights changed and they crossed, he didn’t say anything else as they got their tickets and entered the train.

Miraculously the rush hour crowd was dying down, they managed to snatch two seats facing away from the windows

“Can you really do it?” he asked finally.

“Do what?”

“Kill her, if it comes down to it” his tone was serious, letting no feelings slip through.

“If I have to… I think…” she stammered. “If I have to, I will”

“But you’re hoping it’s not you”

She leaned on his shoulder, sighing “Who wouldn’t be?”

Ayato huffed.

Reina could almost hear the cogs turning in his head, though she herself didn’t understand him –not for once; Ayato was one of the most confusing people that she had met, it was a good day when she could read him at all- whether he was feeling concern for her or the mission, or just wondering why she had suddenly decided to lean on him in some ways.

Maybe he was just numbering the ways in which she was crazy.

Some time passed, and as an upcoming stop was announced, he stood up, they weren’t in the eleventh, but the ninth. “Do you remember how to go back?” he said.

“Checking up on your bars, I see…” she said quietly.

“Unless you want to wait for me- “

“No, it’s fine” she said “I’ll get back” and that was as much a reassurance that she knew her way back as it was one that she wasn’t so much as thinking of leaving.

As the train started slowing to a stop, she added “You’re overthinking”

He whipped his head around to meet her gaze, for a second, she was sure that he was about to bend down and kiss her, he himself seemed to hesitate slightly.

Instead, he handed her one of her bags that he had been holding.

Ayato muttered something under his breath and was gone within a second, a small smile peeking at the corner of his mouth.

And the train doors closed.

.

.

Reina came in through the rooftop, -it wasn’t like she knew how to come in from the street, and being able to jump through rooftops was exhilarating in its own right- after a couple of cigarettes for contemplation.

She sauntered down the stairs, bags adorning her arms in the semi-darkness.

And soon enough faced her room.

She really didn’t want to be stuck in there –for the moment at least-.

_What to do?_

Reina went in and dropped her bags, huddling down to try and listen carefully.

For some reason, she was starting to believe that she wouldn’t be one of the Ghouls with upstanding senses –she also wondered when she would meet Aogiri’s elusive Yotsume- she could only barely pick up the humming on the other side of the wall.

Well, for the moment that was enough.

She slipped into some comfortable leggings and a loose tank top along with flats and loaded a few things in one of the roomier bags –thankfully, after leaving it plugged in the whole day, her phone had also survived the frostbite-.

Knocking on the door beside hers resulted in a slightly dazed-looking Hinami with a highlighter hanging from the side of her mouth and a book in her hand.

“Oh, Reina-san” the young woman said, removing the highlighter. “Is something wrong?” she said, staring at the small bag where Reina had gathered what she would need.

Reina smiled “No, no, sorry for bothering you, I just wanted to ask where the other training rooms are”

“Oh you’re going to train, I thought after…” she seemed uncomfortable, eyes shifting to the side.

Reina smiled “’S alright, I’m used to brutal practice” she said, and the young Ghoul looked up “But no, I thought I could dance a little”

Hinami smiled, unsure, eyes shifting to the bag where Reina had her pointe shoes, -one of which was peeking out- toe pads and the speakers for her phone “Oh, I guess it’s alright then” she said “I can take you there, if you want, just let me grab some shoes”

In truth, Reina was a bit unnerved by the prospect of dancing again, she had not since Shu had died, and even then, she’d only done so scarcely, mostly when he asked to watch her. Still, she had felt like doing something other than sitting in her room and pondering whether stealing Mik back was too bad an idea –it was, she knew but that knowledge didn’t stop her from entertaining the idea-.

“Did you go get your mask?” the younger woman asked politely, eyes glinting as they went down the stairs.

“Yeah” Reina struggled trying to get her hair into a bun, it was getting too long, maybe “Met the mask maker too”

“Oh, Uta-san” the girl said.

“Yup, that one” Reina spoke through the hair tie she was holding in her mouth “He’s a little odd, isn’t he?”

“A little” the brunette answered “Although most of us are a little weird”

“Yeah, I’ve gathered that” Reina said “I guess I fit right in”

From how many flights of stairs they had descended, Reina figured they were in the first or second underground level “This way” Hinami turned left and led her down a long corridor, long enough that she was sure that they were no longer inside the building they had started up in.

Hinami walked about half a step ahead of her, without turning around, or making any telling motions, she asked “Doesn’t it bother you Reina-san?”

“Reina” the older woman reminded her “And what do you mean, being a Ghoul?”

Hinami nodded.

“Hmm” she paused for a moment as, they reached another set of stairs which Hinami started to descend as well. “I guess it’s unsettling, but I’ve had some time to get used to it”

“Yes, but outside is different, I guess, most of the people that she trains end up crazy.” Hinami said “You’re strong”

Reina laughed, the sound throaty and deep “No, I’m not. While it is true that there’s little that she could have tortured me with psychologically. I know it was pretty intentional that she didn’t make me go crazy.”

Hinami went quiet for a second, and yet another hallway came into view, this one with various doors each pretty distant from the other “Because of Ayato-kun”

Reina stopped in her tracks, although it wasn’t all that weird that Hinami would know, she seemed close to Ayato “Yes, because of Ayato” Hinami stopped in front of him “you two are tight, aren’t you?”

The young woman whirled around, cheeks slightly red “It’s nothing like that, Reina-sa-“

“Reina”

“Reina, we aren’t- I know that you two- “

The older woman laughed “I know, I was asking if you were friends” she said, and the other blushed a little more deeply “But I guess if he has told you, you must be”

“I asked him, just last night” Hinami responded.

“Well, I guess there’s no harm in you knowing, now.” She said “And anyways, even I don’t know what we are supposed to be, just fuck-buddies would be my guess” the words felt a bit heavy in her tongue, a bit like a lie, although she considered them mostly true, even if her own feelings were sort of a mess, everything was sort of a mess “But we’ll see, I guess”

Hinami furrowed her brow “Do you really think so?”

Reina smiled “I don’t really know what I think these days, Hinami” the other Ghoul’s eyes widened “I can barely wrap my mind around having lost the way I used to live, and it’s a bit tough trying to change the way we were interacting”

Hinami puffed out her cheeks and turned around, starting to walk again.

 _She’s a nice girl_ Reina mused _I’m being sort of a bitch, but it’s true that I don’t know, and they must be pretty close, he’s not the kind to open up to many people. Maybe she’s his- No, I don’t think so._

Still, a small pang of jealousy coursed through her too.

“Then it really bothers you” the brunette said then “You know, doing what we do”

Reina’s sigh was audible “Actually, that’s not something I’m having that much trouble with” Hinami shot her a slightly disbelieving look over her shoulder “I’ve killed people before, Hinami-chan”

The girl stopped walking and turned around again “But, you just got out”

“When I was human” she clarified “I was an investigator, you know that.”

“Well that’s different, isn’t it?” Hinami said, suddenly something bitter slipped into her tone

“That it was my job doesn’t mean they weren’t people, Hinami” she said, somewhat harshly “And if you don’t want to count that, I also killed a few humans, for… various reasons” Hinami’s mouth opened in a delicate ‘o’, Reina couldn’t tell if it was due to the first or the second statement. She held the other’s surprised gaze “I never really chose being an investigator, you know? Although that’s not to say that I wasn’t happy being one. But no matter where I ran, even if it was the shadiest, most difficult to survive place, they always found me”

“So basically you’re saying that you were made to” she said.

“No” Reina answered, taking a couple of steps onward until she was ahead of the ghoul “Each one was my choice, and that’s exactly why I can eat humans or ghouls alike without regretting it, so long as I don’t know them, of course”

Hinami caught up with her and they continued walking “You’re very different from him, huh?” Hinami muttered under her breath, if she had still been a human, Reina was sure that she wouldn’t have caught it.

“Who?” Reina asked, already having a sneaking suspicion, it wasn’t farfetched to think so, at least.

“Oh, no one, just someone I used to know” the girl started.

“Another half ghoul?” she asked.

“Uh, yes.” Hinami’s tone was slightly triumphant, there had been something slightly iffy from the point where Hinami had started the conversation, it was probably planned. Thankfully, Reina was curious too, a second later, however, Hinami’s face fell, and they stood in front of a door “We’re here, this one’s empty”

Instead of turning the handle and entering, Reina leaned on the wall and smirked “You wouldn’t be talking about Kaneki Ken, would you?”

“Onii-chan” the younger said softly.

“I figured you knew” Reina said “Anyways, I worked under him, although in the CCG they know him as Sasaki Haise”

“I heard he doesn’t remember us, any of us” the younger woman said, pretense thrown to the wind “Is that true?”

“It is” Reina answered bluntly “Altogether he has about a year of memories, or he did, last time I saw him, so I don’t know if he's anything like the person you knew”

“Onii-chan was very kind, he always tried to take care of everyone, sometimes to the point of letting himself be hurt and he really liked books” Hinami blurted out suddenly, Reina paused for a moment, startled, until he realized that she was being given a basis for comparison.

“Well, then I guess that not all of him is lost” she said “That’s almost just how I’d describe him, he’s such a mama hen”

Despite the sadness that reigned in her expression, Hinami laughed “Were you two close?”

Reina hummed thoughtfully, and turned around to open the door as she spoke “A bit, you could say. We were teammates, we both worked under Mado and later on when he was given a squad and I was supposed to join them, but… well, you know what happened”

Hinami froze behind her as Reina entered the room and set her stuff on the floor “M-Mado, but he’s- “she cut herself off, and Reina sat down.

“Come on in, it’s gonna take me ages to put these on” she said, waving her shoes up “you can ask me about Sasaki, if you want” The mildly shell-shocked girl stepped into the room and sat beside her, still saying nothing, Reina scrambled for some topic “What do you mean he?” she said, turning to Hinami “I mean, she’s a pain in the ass, but Mado is a woman, Akira Mado”

“Oh” Hinami said “Oh” she repeated, and burst out laughing “It’s just that there was another investigator before, with that last name and I assumed it was him”

Reina scoffed as she toed off her flats “Probably some second cousin or something, she was definitely female”

“Yeah” Hinami said “Probably, do you know if he still likes making coffee?” she said, slightly more spirited this time.

Reina figured it wouldn’t be too bad to make a friend, Hinami was nice and at least they had a couple of people in common.

 _How weird to be thinking of such things when in the Tree’s stronghold._ She thought while adjusting her straps _but being me, I guess it makes sense_.

.

.

Waking back to her room was a bit less gloomy than the whole walk with Reina.

Hinami figured that it was because of all of the information on her big brother that the older woman had had. Reina was pretty closed off, despite being chatty –to her at least, and even then, when things seemed to get too close to the half-ghoul’s life, she had retreated, fast- but once prompted, they had talked for a while about Sasaki –as Reina insisted to call him, since she had never known him by any other name-.

It was a strange mix of sadness and happiness that was filling Hinami then.

He was alright, happy enough, it seemed, though the recounting of the battle in which he had lost control according to Reina hadn’t been pretty, although that wasn’t something new.

Somehow, it made her miss him less, having some actual information.

After they’d talked, Reina had excused herself to begin dancing, the excess energy almost overflowing from her and rolling over her body.

Hinami had stayed to watch for a bit, while the other woman wobbled on her shoes and warmed up it had been nice enough –it almost felt like friendship, and she liked that, Reina was, after all, only a couple of years older than her- but once the initial awkwardness of her legs had faded- _“Sorry, I haven’t practiced since I went into the academy”_ she had said and the woman had gotten hold of the graceful movements that seemed natural to her as breathing; she had begun skipping about and twirling, losing herself to the music.

The jerky movements from the start had given way to fluidity and it had seemed like she didn’t even notice Hinami was still there –and in fact, she hadn’t seemed to notice when Hinami left- as she danced to some sort of piano and violin duo that was foreign to the Ghoul.

It had been beautiful but also felt like she was intruding on something terribly intimate.

It had been beautiful, none the less.

As she headed to the mess hall, she wondered where Ayato had gone to.

.

.

Hinami had done a good enough work.

 _Only she’s too trusting_. Ayato thought as he slid up to yet another one of Aogiri’s bars in the ninth.

Finances were well managed, everyone was happy with their hunting grounds and no one was openly defying them.

But the thing was that the moles he had weeded out in November, before leaving had come back and multiplied.

Hinami trusted her senses too much –not without reason, of course- but she didn’t stop to observe them, Ayato was sure that they said no incriminating words, that they washed off the blood and grime and covered whatever was left before they went to the ninth, or else, they were designated only to the labor of spying.

And so, Hinami heard no hushed whispers, smelt no battle, but their manners and the way their eyes looked had something that the average drunk didn’t have.

It didn’t matter, young or old, they all had that hardened look of distrust upon their features, that they tried to mask with jolly, moderated drinking.

Actually, CCG seemed to think that their younger moles were safer, only because very young investigators being given such a mission was uncommon.

However, that wouldn’t work on him, not anymore, for obvious reasons.

If anything, Reina being one of the best actresses that he knew, the one time that he had seen her incognito –in a rather scandalous outfit- had given him even more cues to look for.

He had counted fifteen as of then, and the bars were closing down quick.

Not all of them could be eliminated, actually, not all of them should be.

Ayato had spotted the ones with actual useful information.

Now he only needed to kill them somewhere it wouldn’t attract too much attention–because even though CCG would know it had been him, he had to keep the smokescreen up, so it wasn’t very good if they figured out from _which_ bars he was detecting them, or even that he was spotting them at bars-.

He picked one of the five on the kill list at random and set out to do his job.

Next day was spent sleeping, recovering from a surprisingly tough fight.

And the pattern repeated for the next three nights and days, it was easy, and not necessarily boring, the routine, he ate until he was satiated, although he didn’t really need to.

He would have been a liar if he’d said that he wasn’t avoiding Reina just a bit, but the very way in which she managed to confuse him wasn’t good for him or his missions, he rationalized it like that.

It was finally Sunday afternoon when he made his way back to the base, most immediate threats dealt with.

.

.

 _One would think that the base of a Ghoul Organization would be more entertaining._ She thought to herself as her tired legs led her down the stairs.

It had been three days since the last time she had been outside, three in which she had only talked to Hinami a couple of times to assert when exactly they would go and spy on whoever they were spying on –Hinami assured her that Reina was only there for physical backup and that she had the details on where exactly they would meet; when the younger woman had explained, she had had to admire Eto’s strategy, letting them meet right under her nose to get to the bottom of the issue, or in this case, the top of the organization-, people, whom apparently only met on the busier days of the week –the younger Ghoul had insisted to do it the next one- in cheap hotel rooms in the last place one would usually think of.

Reina was the kind of person who _didn’t_ crave social contact when she was stressed out –and the three empty packs of cigarettes in her trash bin spoke for themselves- so she had taken to going down for coffee at ungodly hours of night and locking herself in her room with water, internet and books in the mornings.

In the afternoons, she danced until her legs felt like they would burst, from the time the sun was still high in the sky until it was the moon that adorned it, then went back to her room for a long, drawn out bath and went down for coffee.

What had seemed strange the first day was how she _didn’t_ feel hungry, of course, she had heard of the whole living with one corpse for a month thing, and for the last month, she had eaten more than one body, she was sure, but it was still strange to not feel even the slightest bit hungry –even if, she had often forgotten to eat out of distraction or laziness as a human-.

Still, she was about to throttle someone.

Hinami was alright, but had her own responsibilities and it bugged Reina to be stuck to the other’s side, and the few other people she had passed in the halls by the training rooms had taken a whiff at her and looked at her strangely, proceeding to turn around and leave.

She didn’t know if she wanted to see someone and speak until her throat was raw or continue living like a hermit.

Maybe being a hermit wasn’t that bad.

There had been no signs of Ayato in those three days either.

She hadn’t asked Hinami, her attitude spoke of him being alright and so, Reina figured that he’d be back at some point.

She hoped so, if only to have someone to talk to.

The training room that Hinami had shown her to the first time was the one she kept using, she slipped inside, laying down her stuff by the door.

Ballet, she had found, was something she really enjoyed when not being forced into it.

Too bad she didn’t have a barre in the bare room –and that there were small craters scattered around it, although that made it more fun-.

Reina started by stretching before putting on the shoes, legs spreading beneath her, to her sides, folding over in scorpion pose, back arching, bending until she was staring at the floor, twisting into strange forms.

The woman took her time, spending almost an hour at it, after all, she didn’t have much else to do.

Then came basics, testing out the waters, choosing music for the day.

Opera seemed fine, Schubert better, as she stood, her mind felt wiped out of any thought.

Arms stretching at her sides like chiseled wings, she leapt.

At first the names of the movements raced through her mind – _fouette, fouette, grand battement, pirouette, promenade, blisè, pas de chat, pas de bourree-_ but eventually, they mended in an indistinguishable stream pouring forth from some place in her subconscious where she had never forgotten anything, where it had all been inked into her skin for little more than a decade.

And so, she didn’t think, she moved, sweat streaming down her skin, soaking the shorts and tanktop, pants filling the air, soreness creeping up her limbs until she was sure that she’d pass out cold from the bath.

Distantly at some point, she heard some strange rapping, rhythmic, steadily stronger.

The grand battement never became a pirouette, instead, disoriented, she stopped, listening intently.

Someone was knocking on the door.

With careful steps –without letting herself fall from the point of her feet, Reina walked towards the door and opened it with a flourish.

 _Die Winterreise_ blared in the background as high as the speakers would go, already near the end.

In her daze, she first realized that when she was standing on the pointe shoes they were at eye level with each other.

Ayato was holding a package in his left hand and his right was still raised, as if knocking.

She wondered how much like a mess she looked like –flushed and sweaty, with her hair trying to escape the tight bun she’d put it in and in rather showy clothes-.

He himself seemed to notice too –mostly her state of undress- she felt his eyes raking up her body until their gazes met.

And then they just blinked at each other.

“Your mask is here” he said, voice slightly shaky.

Reina’s eyes fell on the package and traveled back up to his face “Oh, thanks” she held out her hands, and clearly being careful not to brush her fingertips with his, he deposited the package in the hands “Did Hinami tell you I was here?”

Expression somewhat normalizing, he snorted “Who else?”

“Yeah” Finally noticing her awkward stance, Reina let herself fall on the soles of her feet “She’s the only one I really talk to”

As he frowned, his eyes fell on her feet. Unimpressed, he smirked “You sure like punishing yourself”

The tone was more playful, Reina released a breath that she hadn’t been aware she was holding.

It was their usual “That’d be true” she said “But these don’t hurt at all anymore”

“Allow me to doubt that” he said, rolling his eyes.

“It’s true” she protested “Although the muscle soreness is another thing, I didn’t know Ghouls had that too”

“You’d be surprised…Aren’t you going to unpack that?” his gaze fell pointedly on the package.

“Uh, yeah”

Someone had seen it fit to cover the package with tape, Reina’s fingers fumbled with it uselessly.

Although she wasn’t looking at him, the eye roll was obvious. “Come here”

The packet was snatched from her grasp and she got to stare dumbfounded as Ayato’s deft fingers found the place where the tape began and slowly unraveled the package.

“Tch” he tossed her the –mostly- unwrapped package and without waiting for him to ask her anything, she tore open the top and peeked inside.

The first thing that came into view was a piece of paper, curiously, she pulled it out.

_I couldn’t choose in the end, Reina-san, I hope you like them._

_Uta xx_

_P.S: Itori says she wants to see you around the bar._

She smiled at the childish signature and proceeded to pull out the first mask from the package.

The snout was short and elegant, more like a Persian than any other breed, and over the wide eyes, pieces of yellow one-way glass had been set, along with short wire whiskers on either side.

_The Red Cat, huh?_

Reina smiled faintly, almost having forgotten that there was someone watching her, she pulled the mask on, it fit snugly against each and every one of her features, and the glass of the eyes didn’t hinder her vision any.

After all, through it he very clearly saw Ayato’s conflicted expression, as well as noticed the fact that his eyes wouldn’t leave her face –mask-.

She laughed in a jolly manner “What do you think? Does it suit me?”

His jaw tensed and he looked away “It’s fine”

Reina puffed out her cheeks and pulled the mask off “Whatever”

 She then switched the mask from the one left in the package, and the change from one to another became apparent –and it was no wonder the mask-maker had been unable to choose, in their own right both were astonishing- that one was made in a base of pure white with slanted holes for eyes, red and black lines coursed through it, wrapping into each other in somewhat menacing designs, reminding her of some kabuki masks, the base itself had been sculpted on the outside into faultless features, the mask was slightly longer than her face, so that allowed for it to have a long, very straight nose, a pointed chin and sculpted cheekbones.

At the top of it, in pure white sat two small horns. The impact of each mask was astonishing.

As if transfixed, she pulled that one on too, pointedly looking away from the man standing in the doorway –and his pretty face, the voice in the back of her head whispered-.

Her field of vision was somewhat reduced compared to how it was with the cat mask, but it was definitely worth it.

“That one” his deep voice startled her, he was pointedly looking at the mask’s chin, with its swirl of black, red and black, Reina made a confused sound “It suits you better”

And behind them, with a flourish, the opera ended, and the next song in her playlist for the day clicked on –it was supposed to be the last, although she always ended up doing an extra two hours regardless- a rather tranquil duet piece, without any movements that would be exhilarating by themselves, only in music, but that was the fun of it, making the soft music something to which she could exert herself dancing, without breaking from the rhythm.

_Spiegel im Spiegel, that’s the name._

She pulled the mask back over her head, more than happy with both of them, and her eyes slid over to Ayato, who seemed a bit torn, shooting glances down the hall and then back at her.

It was probably only about dusk, or close to it, she usually stayed until much later.

But she sort of didn’t want to anymore.

“I’m about to finish” she said with a smirk “Feel like sparring?”

Ayato stared at her strangely for a second, and then laughed “You don’t change, do you?” the Ghoul made to step into the room.

Reina rolled her eyes, standing to the side to let him through and closing the door behind him “Well I have been doing nothing for a couple of days”

“You could have asked Hinami to take you out” he answered gruffly, as Reina motioned for him to sit and laid the masks carefully beside the speakers.

Shaking her head, she said “I wasn’t going to bother her more than I had to”

“Then you can’t complain much”

“I guess so” she bent down and reset the song “I only have this song left, so hang on for a bit”

A noncommittal grunt was his answer as he leaned back against the wall.

Reina didn’t mind anyone watching her dance –had been forced into too many contests in her early life to do so- she usually lost herself in the movement soon enough, -like what had happened with Hinami a couple of nights before, when she had stopped to switch a song and realized that the younger woman had gone at some point- although Ayato’s eyes were somehow more poignant, piercing deeper than even Yoshino’s once had, as she ran towards the center and marked the first steps with careful _port de bras_ and a sustained _passé_ it was only slightly harder for her to sink into the movement.

The piece was long, slow, perfect for wide, sweeping movements that required endurance and elasticity.

Her aching muscles sang as they shifted through the air.

.

.

It was strange.

When Hinami had told him that Reina was probably dancing at the other block’s training rooms and wasn’t likely to come back until after at least sundown he’d considered just leaving the package by the door –and berated himself for not telling her where to go pick it up from the mail- but since it wasn’t that late, he’d headed to give it to her himself.

The powerful male voice had been audible from down the corridor, and so had been the sound of her shoes beating against the floor.

Reina had made quite a picture when she opened the door, perhaps, one that he had expected –minus maybe the pretty, painful-looking shoes- even if he had never seen her dance.

His reaction, however, had been the odd one.

Flushed, with her eyes slightly glazed over and a peaceful looseness to her mouth, she had looked almost happy.

And he’d been about to- do something, he wasn’t very sure what.

Watching her try on the masks hadn’t been half as confusing, he had learned to recognize the warm twist in his gut as fondness, especially as she had looked transfixed by them.

The offer to spar had been a step towards her usual routine, one quickly disrupted when she excused herself for a last song and began dancing.

And that was a whole other monster.

Eyes either glazed over or almost closed, she had skipped through the room in something that he couldn’t decide if it was slow or incredibly fast motion, lifting her legs inhumanly high and spinning on the very tip of her toe several times without somehow breaking it.

 _That_ was what had brought on the peaceful expression from earlier.

Being away for a couple days was the norm for him, and he couldn’t really complain if it made it so he came back to spectacles like that one.

Even so, he wanted her to be able to go out, back in the day, due to both social and work circumstances, she’d only visited her apartment at night, and yet, there she was, completely trapped in a place that she didn’t know, probably going slowly crazy.

Sometimes, he forgot that for all her resilience, Reina did get affected by things –although to be fair, she made her best efforts not to let anyone notice-.

She was like a cat, in that.

He focused back on her dancing form, skipping about, holding her arms impossibly steady above her head and didn’t dare look away.

.

.

The spinning slowed to a stop, there was no crowd to cheer, when she opened her eyes and they met his, she felt whole.

.

.

They were standing across from one another after she’d discarded her shoes and put everything breakable away somewhere it wouldn’t get damaged –she liked her masks way too much-.

After she’d finished there had been a moment of tense silence, like the currents of the ocean just before a major event happened.

Reina had flushed bright red and looked away, the moment had broken.

Now his eyes were slightly wary and the tilt of his smirk was infuriating.

The whole thing was exhilarating.

Three days may not have seemed much, but it was just about the most she was used to going without at least a fight and Reina had been getting restless.

Grinning right back at him, she called upon her kagune.

The part of it that wrapped snugly like a protective exoskeleton around her chest and upper arms felt comforting and the blades that extended from her arms, shifting between scythe-like and spiky appendages were something that she could feel acutely.

Ayato himself activated his own too, and she couldn’t help but admire it.

He had shed one of his classic heavy jackets, ending up in a high necked black tank top that clung to his body as if it had been painted on, and the slightly tight pants –not a rarity in him- emphasized the muscled in his legs. His kagune itself was a hurricane of vermillion and mauve, with sapphire streaks peeking through that reminded of his eyes when his kakugan weren’t activated.

 _Although._ She mused. _They aren’t really a bad look on him, he’s handsome either way._

“Well, aren’t you gonna attack?” He said.

“Well, aren’t _you_?” she mimicked him.

Their gazes locked and they surged forward.

It was different of course from their previous battles, it felt alien. After all, even if they were both using a significant amount of power, the intent to kill wasn’t behind any attacks, and there was of course, also the fact that while it was still a Koukaku worked very differently from what Koujirou had –Reina had used him along with a multitude of knives and as a throwing blade after all, and she’d found during her month of isolation that doing so with her kagune was mostly just a great loss of RC cells unless she made shards small enough, and that was perhaps, too much work-.

Ayato had zoomed behind her to kick her into a wall when she lifted her arms back in such a position that if he were to, the blades stretching over her forearms would decapitate him.

He responded by kicking her, not forward but up into the ceiling.

The impact sent some debris loose, but to her credit, when her body fell back down, she landed in a crouch, nothing too embarrassing.

Reina stood up again and Pounced on him, serving herself of the fact that he wasn’t suspecting it and subsequently straddling him, pinning his arms down with her hand while her Kagune stretched behind her.

He smiled mischievously, and then that smiling face was head-butting her.

It continued like that, each pinning the other in some position and the other spoiling it by thinking of some out of the box way of getting out of the hold.

It was more of a game than anything else.

The more time passed, the more lingering the touches became, as if the slight bursts of adrenaline were tearing down –however temporarily- walls within them, and Reina really looked at him for the first time in a while.

After all, despite not really looking like it, she had been a mess after Eto had released her, the few days since then had had only one good thing, and it was that she had calmed down.

Mostly.

But she still found herself wanting him now in a way she hadn’t really felt since she had been human, and as they rolled around the ground with his kagune almost cradling her as some of the spikes dug into her back, it felt pretty nice.

Finally, slightly bloodied, with already healing bruises and cuts, they laid side by side on the floor.

Reina sat up quickly and turned to look at him.

It was slightly startling, to see his hooded eyes watching her intently, gaze almost predatory but not completely so.

She wanted to kiss him.

“We should go clean up” she said, inflection pretty obvious, in this at least, she knew well what she was doing –it was also a small callback, she noticed, though that time around, she felt no need to drop hints.

Ayato nodded, eyes narrowing as he sat up, and pulled her into a rather needy kiss, almost as if he were just making sure.

.

.

Later, it occurred to her as she was almost being lulled into sleep by his heartbeat and the warm water of her bathtub that perhaps just letting things happen from then on wouldn’t be all that bad.

She’d fought the flow of things hard, before, but there was no need, no reason.

Except… except that it was her, she was practically an omen for destruction, and maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration but her mere presence could…

And yet had that worked before? Tearing herself away from him? And then, it would be even less effective, keeping some distance would do, both to protect him and herself from the onslaught of emotions that she could feel boiling beneath their skins.

Her head laid resting on the crook of his neck, and Ayato had thrown his own back over the rim of the tub.

From that angle, she could even see the little droplets of water caught in his eyelashes.

Something had swollen in her chest since that one day when he had found her in the rooftop, and then, it ached.

Blue eyes opened slowly, noticing her gaze.

He let out a genuine, teasing laugh “Aren’t you the one overthinking things?”

Reina stayed still, quiet for a while, only breathing “Maybe” she said, at last, nuzzling her nose to the pulse that beat in his throat, wanting to bite it for a second, then discarding the idea – her blood apparently still tasted nice to him, only more bittersweet, he had said, but the taste of his wasn’t all that pleasing to her- “But it’s hard to reconcile things with each other sometimes” she said in a small voice.

“I thought it was easy to accept” his brow furrowed “Was that just for Eto’s benefit?”

“No” she said “It’s easy to accept, almost too much” eyes far away, she let her body relax against his “But it’s like- like- “she took a deep breath “When I ran away from Yoshino, I was fourteen, almost fifteen, I went to live to the ninth, I knew some people there- “

His frown deepened “Back then the ninth- “

“I know” her eyes pleaded for him to let her talk uninterrupted “We all cooperated, humans, ghouls, because we were all outlaws and _then_ I was sure that I should have felt some hatred, but I didn’t and I realized that I had lost more than a couple of things, I didn’t feel like myself or really know what I was, without someone to dictate my thoughts I barely had any. Although I got better then, right now it’s something like that; It’s like I’m fading away, whatever was left of me, like I am just going to become what my mother intended for me to, anyway, just on the other side of the war. I know it’s stupid, and that there are better things to worry about, but I haven’t been able to get it out of my head”

“Doesn’t that prove otherwise?” he said, gruffly, one of his arms tightening around her body.

“How could it?”         

“Because you haven’t changed a bit” he said, voice echoing off the tiles “You still overthink, you still leave things behind easily and you’re still the most reckless person I’ve met.” The last two had slight tinges of bitterness that she didn’t think even he realized. From the awkward angle, his eyes met hers “What you want hasn’t changed, has it?”

“I don’t want anything, I’m just living” she said, between grit teeth and he just raised an eyebrow at her. Then it dawned “You’d have made a good psychiatrist” she sighed.

A snort rumbled in his chest “Like I would listen to pathetic humans prattle bout their petty worries”

“You have the patience for me Ayato” she said. “Did I crawl under your thick skin?” Her tone was teasing, although his features were stony, his next words were out suddenly, almost as if he hadn’t meant to speak them at all, like she didn’t know that he believed them until that very second.

“Yes”

Mind almost blank, Reina looked at him long and hard, at his astonished eyes and slack mouth, at the elegant slope of his nose and the hair that stuck to his forehead.

“Good” she finally Sid, laying a soft kiss in the angle of his jaw and letting her body drape over his “Good”

His arms found a place around her waist then, unhesitatingly.

Later, much later, in between random dreams, she felt herself be carried off to a warm, soft place, where faint light streamed from beneath her blinds.

Through the morning, his warmth didn’t leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Umm yeah, sappy me attacks again, I’m going back home next week, so updates might go either way, depending on workload, although anything will be better than here (seriously, how am I not dead?)  
> I hope you liked this and, well, next chapter will move the plot a long a bit more at least.  
> I’d love to hear what you think.


	15. Outside

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so it has been quite a while. Almost seven moths I think, life got hectic on me as soon as I went back home and… yeah, I think I’m finally on the right track with this again, though.

Ayato awoke to her soft singing, to her fingers through his hair.

Sometimes, especially when they were alone like that, he could smell the fear on her, a foul undercurrent to her bittersweet scent.

He’d sensed it from the very moment they had rekindled their- whatever it was- at the base.

Reina was very, very afraid and unsure of everything –although she did her best to hide it from him-.

Though he didn’t fear the situation, it certainly made him uneasy.

She was only like that, though, when he let her go on thinking too long by herself, only then did she allow the fear and uncertainty to take hold of her, or at least, show outwardly.

 _“…this song is old but it goes on and on until it disappears”_ she sang softly, that day she’d be carrying out her first mission, but Reina didn’t seem at all nervous about that, though _“Call me and let me taste the salt you breathed while you were underneath…”_ After the one time he had gone to her while she danced, everything that had once taken place in her apartment had somehow migrated to the base, he himself didn’t understand too well, but there was a sort of sense of belonging beside her that kept Ayato from rather abruptly cutting everything off the way she once had _“…You know that you are not alone”_ she breathed out the words, it tickled his forehead _“I need you like water in my lungs”_

His face was buried in the soft skin under her clavicle, Ayato slowly opened his eyes “You really do hate sleep” he groaned.

Since that day, Ayato hadn’t slept in his bed.

“Shush” she whispered, her voice not breaking the morning’s atmosphere of quiet “It’s almost noon, we still have a couple of hours.”

“Then you should sleep too” he looked up at her

“’M not tired anymore,after all” she said, stretching like a cat. “But you’re warm”

 She wore one of his sleeping shirts –the one he had tried to put on the night before- and since she wasn’t particularly short, it almost rode up her upper thighs- and her hair was spread around them both.

After stretching, she settled back down beside him and continued running her fingers through his hair, humming some tune.

Ayato drifted off.

.

.

He fixated his gaze on the dancefloor.

No, he was _not_ worried.

Hinami and Reina were taking care of Eto’s mission a few streets over, he wasn’t even allowed to check up on them unless something seemed wrong or they asked for the backup.

-of course, it was just recon and he was more than sure that both of them could take care of themselves-

He turned around to see his usual subordinate staring at him with his head cocked to the side and a little smirk on his face. Reina and Hinami had stopped by the bar on their way to the love hotel where their two targets were supposedly meeting, of course, the man had recognized her.

Ayato was glad, not for once of his reputation of having quite the temper –although he knew he had mellowed out in the past few years- lest he had to listen to obnoxious comments through the night and eventually likely found himself one subordinate short.

Closing his eyes, he sighed and headed for the dingy metal stairs that led to the rooftop, the bar was clean anyways and he needed a little air –Reina and her ever-present cigarettes would have been a good addition to the moment too-.

Outside, the city air was uncharacteristically chilly, at least for the area where he was, where walking around at ground level even in the colder months of the year could be overwhelming just from the denseness of the crowds and the sheer amount of cars that passed through.

His breath came in white puffs and the lights surrounded him, a couple of streets over he could see smoke rising, probably a small fire blurring out the background.

Ayato took a deep breath.

A loud crash was heard and behind him, a voice.

“Ayato-san!” he turned around to find an alarmed-looking subordinate “Yotsume requests your help”

The smoke in the distance became denser, police sirens wept in the distance. Ayato’s eyes widened and he rushed inside for his mask.

Fuck being sensible, the rooftops wafter all,everyone would be looking for the fire, no one would take issue with the shadows.

.

.

It was the building right beside the one that they had been supposed to visit, and underneath the smell of smoke and charred meat he could also smell freshly spilled blood.

The building –a shop of some sort- had a gabled roof, so he had to hang from the front of the house and swing himself into one of the windows –which was thankfully already broken-.

Thankfully, the smoke covered it all up.

Inside, the fire hadn’t quite reached the second floor, and he could hear the distinctive noise of a kagune clashing against a Quinque.

In his way towards the back room, he passed a couple of nearly untouched corpses-other than the fatal wounds, of course-, that was good, plenty good.

If neither of them had stopped to eat and that were still fighting, it meant that neither was hungry enough to need to feast on them.

The smoke became denser the deeper he walked, finally, thee corridor opened into a nigh empty storage area and he can barely see.

There were more corpses, he saw a quivering form standing to the side, from the mask, Ayato could tell that it was Hinami, despite the long red -so much so that he could make out the color of it despite the smoke- wig that covered the back of her head.

Two figures were fighting in front of her, one was unmistakably Reina, wearing her cat mask and some wig of a light color, the other was a slightly portly man with a Quinque that seemed out to chase her with minimum effort from him and a scarf wrapped snugly around his mouth and nose.

He noticed that Reina’s movements were sluggish as well.

Hinami’s head whipped around and met his.

“A-. “she shook her head. “They’re using suppressants, get out of the way.” Just as she said it, he felt the first shot graze him, and turned around, from the hole of the stairwell, a sniper stared at him.

Ayato leaped towards him, shielding himself in his kagune, deflecting the shots.

His kagune slapped the gun away when he was close enough and the man cowered “Please don- “

His head was torn off his body quickly enough.

As soon as he was gone, Hinami dashed for one of the corpses, and almost unhesitatingly bit into the nearest bit of exposed flesh.

Ayato turned around and went for the one attacking Reina, noticing that the sound of sirens was approaching.

The man had clearly not been expecting to fight, he was panting and coughing, probably both from the exhaustion and the smoke.

Still, he wasn’t some mook, he was holding up pretty well.

The noise of the sirens intensified and red and blue lights started illuminating the street behind them and Hinami’s kagune burst from her back.

Finding himself surrounded and wounded the man attempted to push Reina away and headed for the stairwell, where, at a lack of any other way out, barreled straight into Ayato with the drill like Quinque, which only managed to push him aside when it collided with the kagune covering his arm.

Ayato made to pursue him when a pale hand closed around his forearm.

He turned around to find A pair of yellow eyes “He’ll be useful” she said gravely “If he lives”

Before the man dashed down the stairs, however, he turned around and looked straight at Reina, he screamed something in a language that Ayato didn’t recognize

It was however, too late when he noticed that the man had practically thrown the Quinque at him as a distraction and then proceeded to leap past the body of the sniper and downstairs –where he wasn’t even all that likely to be able to get out since it was full of fire-.

 “What are you talking about?” he growled, growing impatient.

“I’ll tell you later”

“We’re getting swarmed” Hinami contributed from behind them.

Shooting a last look at the stairs, he let himself be dragged outside.

As they jumped out of the building, they were met with a barrage of bullets from the units below.

Perhaps, it had been for the best.

.

.

Taking the long way around was the right choice, they headed west and then north, surrounding the ninth’s whole residential area only when they had lost their pursuers did they turn back around and head for one of the bars –the trains had stopped running and they were all quite exhausted-.

Once in the relative safety of one of the private rooms, Ayato sank back into the bed, throwing his mask to the side.

Hinami and Reina had divested themselves of the wigs and masks as well, and as soon as the door was closed, Reina kicked off her shoes.

He spoke first “So, it was a trap?”

Reina coughed a little “No” she said “Well, sort of, more like a really well protected reunion spot”

Hinami, who was lying sprawled on the couch nodded “They were expecting anyone, not just us in particular, I’ll start transcribing the conversation in a bit, I think the one we killed first was part of some organization”

“V” Reina stated “I’ve heard the name around although he’s probably just a subordinate, even mother never managed to penetrate their inner circles”

“Yeah” Hinami sighed “it’s too bad that they noticed us when they did, but at least we know that they are managing Sphinx now”

Reina came to sit beside him “Someone in the CCG is trying to get info the underhanded way too, I got the sense that the other one was mocking him a bit, making him promise more outrageous things each time.”

Ayato glanced at her “Who was that guy?”

The brunette sighed “Zhao Hui-Qing” she said.

“You know him?”

“Well enough” she paused for a second “He helped train me, I know that we had planned on luring my mother out first, but we’re going to have to do him in before that or she’ll figure out the trap.”

“Then why did you stop me?” he asked, disconcerted.

“Because he’s in charge of intelligence, if we can make her come to us it’s easier through him. Besides, we’d have been surrounded by the time you were done, that one wouldn’t have gone down easily.” Reina rationalized “Also, I think he sort of suspected who I was, he spoke to me in Chinese”

“That’s all the more reason to kill him” he said “Or he might’ve just been swearing?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t really catch what he said” she shrugged “but I guess it can’t hurt, we’ll have to follow him around”

“You, reckless woman” he said, hating the fondness that tinged his tone a little. “We’ll have to talk to Shachi-san about this whole thing tomorrow”

“Yeah” she sniffed and glanced towards the bathroom “I’m going to take a shower” Reina smirked “Care to join?”

Hinami blushed to the root of her hair and the older woman laughed.

Ayato just rolled his eyes at her as she sauntered off.

.

.

He found that he’d fallen asleep when the light of the sun became too strong for his eyelids to block out satisfactorily.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Hinami had fallen asleep over the armrest of the sofa, and a quick sweep of the room revealed that Reina was standing by the window, staring at nothing in particular, and, as always, having stolen some pants and a jacket of his –though that one time he couldn’t quite blame her, her clothes had smelt like wood fire and blood, he himself still reeked of it- and the pair of boots from the night before –a sensible choice in footwear for once-.

Ayato pushed himself up as the image became clearer. She was standing slightly hunched, holding her sides with the opposite arms, as if she were stopping her organs from falling out.

He got up, noting his ash stained clothes and went to stand behind her.

It was to say something that she didn’t seem to notice until he was standing right behind her, when she jolted and turned around brusquely.

Her gaze was tense, instantly, he too became more guarded.

“You’re awake” even her tone held no sleepiness or playful demeanor.

“So I see.” He responded, unimpressed, and noticed the dark shadows that hung beneath her eyes. “It would do you good to sleep”

She turned around again, not even acknowledging his words “I’ve changed my mind” she said “We should kill Zhao as soon as we can”

“I thought you wanted to lure your mother out through him” He said dryly.

“His death will serve that purpose” the ice that dripped from her tone almost managed to make _him_ scared “I want to get this over with quickly”

“You’re not going to accomplish anything by getting her on guard” He was trying to be the voice of reason, something told him it’d be unsuccessful “Unless he knows more than you’re telling me”

It was just for a second that she hesitated, the small tremble of her shoulders gave her away, but she shook her head anyways.

“She’s too much like me, if we try to trick her, she’ll figure it out” then she turned around looking resigned, almost swaying slightly “We should speak to this Shachi person as soon as we can”

His eyes met hers.

She was wearing shoes. _Inside._

“Are you going to do something stupid?” That expression was one that he had not seen in some time.

The Reina that he had met at the warehouse was back.

She shrugged “Probably” At the tensing of his stance, she chuckled and walked around him, seemingly heading for the door.

Ayato found himself grabbing her arm and pulling her back before a heartbeat had passed. If anything, he knew how to handle that, if anything, he could stop her until she saw reason or resigned herself to reality.

“You’re not going anywhere” he almost growled “you’re not allowed to”

Her smile was slow, sensuous “Are you going to stop me Ayato?” she was a perfect mannequin then, he had no idea what the woman was thinking, only an inkling of the plans that plagued her head, and even those could go in a multitude of directions “Are you going to fight me?”

“If I have to” His grip tightened on her wrist, and he found her mostly unresisting when he pulled her back to him and trapped her shoulder with his other hand “You’re not the only one involved here” he shot a glance towards Hinami.

“I should be” she said, slightly breathless and pulled back roughly.

Rather than letting her shove him off, Ayato followed her motion and pushed her down on the bed.

“Quit it” He hated not being able to tell what she was thinking, though it was clear that some stray thought had taken root inside her head and poisoned whatever sense of self-preservation she had left.

“No” She surged forward, teeth snapping at his neck, and his hand –the one pinning hers flew up to wrap around her neck. Reina’s hand, seeing itself free, reached up, presumably to tear his arm off, but instead of nails clawing at his hand, what Ayato felt was the needle sinking into the flesh at his neck, and the capsule emptying. “I know you, Ayato” she said “Don’t worry, it won’t hurt you”

And then, feeling his strength leave him, his eyelids slid closed.

.

.

“She could betray us at any moment” the tall man said “You’re being reckless”

“Reina-chan has no choice but to obey us” the woman said, swinging her legs happily, as if she weren’t sitting at the edge of a building.

“She’s stubborn” he pinched his nose “You should have gotten rid of her will”

“Nah” the other ghoul responded “Sometime in the future, that will of hers, and who she is, will come in handy”

.

.

For the second time in the same day, he awoke to the light piercing his eyelids, only that time there was someone shaking him, the voice of a woman calling out his name.

“Ayato” she said and his whole body felt sluggish, like his energy had been sucked out. “Ayato”

It was comparable to having spent several nights wide awake, the heaviness of his own body dragged him down and he didn’t remember doing anything very strenuous the previous night, having arrived to the battle late enough that Reina and Hinami had taken care of most opponents.

His neck hurt.

Finally, his eyelids snapped open to meet Hinami’s terrified gaze.

“Ayato-kun, I thought…” She shakes her head “I’m so glad”

 He groaned. His head pulsed and his mouth was dry, what the hell had Reina done?

“What the hell?”

“I don’t know” she said “I woke up and saw you with this in your neck” she said, reaching to the side to grab something. The artifact was wide and not particularly long, the needle was short, only enough to really pierce skin and the muscle directly underneath. Some clear liquid remained inside. “It fell off really easily and you woke up almost immediately. I think she swiped it from one of the people who attacked us last night”

Reina had probably had it hidden in the borrowed pants, she’d probably been seconds from sticking it in his neck while he slept.

The thing seemed relatively impractical, taking into account that if anyone ever managed to stake a ghoul with one they’d take ages to move them.

“What time is it?” he asked, pushing himself up from where his body had been awkwardly hanging half-off the bed.

“About two pm” Hinami answered, rising beside him “Do you feel fine?”

“Fuck” Ayato looked at his friend, frowning. “And yes, I do” Hinami looked down.

“Did Reina-san go to kill the man from last night?” she asked.

Ayato groaned “Seems so” he said “That idiot’s going to get herself killed. Can you track her?”

Hinami shook her head “No, with the streets as they are now, I’m pretty sure she went out of the front door too. But we have to- “

“Do what?” he said turning to look outside the window at the grey weather “I’ve not idea where she’s going, do you?”

“I- “she cut herself off “I know a bit of Chinese, you know, from Tatara-san”

Remembering Zhao’s screams from the night before, he turned around “And?”

“Well…”

.

.

_“Just what I thought, it was you at the building” he looked at her, hatred coating his face “A good tactic, using the commotion to escape. Your little toy will envy the last one’s fate, once I prove it”_

Reina closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

The phone that her hacker friend had given her earlier in the day vibrated.

The wind up here was nasty, still, it was the best spot for her to do what she had to.

_‘I’m scared. I don’t have to be scared. Kill the fear, remember?’_

Only waiting, that was all she had to do and then… then she would act.

Stiff hands reached for the pocket of Ayato’s jacket.

**_Maki_ **

_You were right, he just told a squad to wait for him near to that place._

_You owe me._

A quick reply was typed, she turned around and jumped, letting her body fall off one rooftop and onto another.

The CCG HQ became smaller and smaller behind her until she couldn’t see it at all when she looked back.

.

.

“He mentioned something about a building” Hinami said, finally “And about proving that it was her. I think maybe he meant her house, or maybe the building Eto took her from”

“I thought Eto got rid of the tapes, besides, the building would’ve been torn down already”

Hinami shrugged “I don’t know; I don’t think they got the ones from nearby buildings. Although I don’t think there would be much evidence in those and yeah, it should’ve been torn down”

“So she could’ve gone anywhere” he said, gritting his teeth.

“Mhmm”

“But not the guy” he said, suddenly remembering something “He’d have to submit a report at headquarters”

“Do you think we’d be able to catch up to him?” Hinami said, eyes wide “She won’t attack him in the building of course, and we can’t go in, but after he comes out…”

Ayato sighed “Best lead we have”

By all means, he shouldn’t go after her, he should let her either get in trouble with Eto or probably get mauled by the special class. She drugged him, betrayed him, in a way, a very uncharacteristic one since she had not been opposed to having help for the mission before.

He got up slipped into a pair of shoes and swiped a jacket from the small dresser, when Ayato turned around, he saw Hinami fixing the wig over her hair and slipping into some shoes of her own.

It _was_ strange.

“Hinami” he said, and the girl turned around “Did the dove from last night say anything else?”

Hinami’s face scrunched up, a strange look passing over it “There was something I didn’t really understand” she said “He told her that her pet would envy? or envied? someone’s fate.” Ayato’s eyes widened, _there_ it was, if he was right… “That makes no sense, though. I think I misunderstood, I don’t know that much yet”

Well, he couldn’t be sure, but it might’ve fit with the things Reina had told him before, and she did have a tendency to act rashly. If she was protecting him –and at the thought of this a wave of rage coursed through his body- it would make sense, especially if the guy still needed proof for his theories, it gave Reina a window of time.

And the element of surprise, the guy wouldn’t expect to be attacked so soon or by only one person.

Anyone a bit less reckless would’ve probably hidden.

He turned around to look at Hinami, she was dressed and ready, carrying a backpack that he presumed, held cloaks and her mask.

They headed out.

.

.

Staking out the CCG headquarters had taken a rather complicated scheme, sneaking into one of the nearby building, and miraculously finding an office due to be refurbished, with linens all over the expensive furniture and paper taped all over the windows.

From what he could see, the painters would be there by the next day.

Just getting there had taken about an hour, and the longer Hinami sat in silence, listening for any voices similar to Zhao’s, and he peeked through the gaps in the paper convinced him more and more that they had made a mistake and that Reina hadn’t even thought of following Zhao to wherever it was that he wanted to get his so called evidence.

Maybe she had somehow found out where the guy was staying or something.

It was selling his soul to the devil, but there was someone that might know, with the guy being who he was.

Quietly, he stepped away from Hinami to pull out his cellphone, scrolling down to find the number that seemed like the last resort, since the sun was already showing signs of disappearing and there was no Zhao coming out of the CCG.

 _“I was wondering when you were going to call Ayato-kun”_ she said on the other side, smug as ever.

“What do you mean?”

 _“Reina-chan came around in the morning”_ His eyes widened, how had he not thought about it before, Reina _had_ somewhat bonded with Itori, and she wasn’t dense enough to ever have thought the bar was just a bar. _“Wanted to ask me a couple of things”_

“Just spit it out Itori”

 _“It wasn’t anything big”_ the woman.

Hinami rose suddenly “Ayato”

“Itori!” he growled “whatever it is, I need it”               

 _“Fine, fine, you’re really a pushy one, Ayato-kun”_ she drawled “ _But do bring her around someday soon, to have drinks, not to look for Info. She wanted to know about one of the Special classes, Zhao Hui, I think his name was”_ She paused for a second, and Ayato could picture her raising a cup of red wine to her lips and taking a sip before continuing _“Wanted to know if he was working from HQ”_

“Ayato!” Hinami grabbed his arm “He’s coming out; he has a car waiting outside”

He took a deep breath “That’s all?”

_“Yup”_

Ayato turned his head to look at Hinami and nodded “Thanks” he turned off the phone.

They both dashed out of the room and up the stairs. If he was going by way of a car, there was no way they could follow him through the streets without catching people’s attention, and following him in a cab would likely be just as bad, so as he and Hinami practically flew up the service stairs, she pulled two cloaks out of her backpack and they both hurried to put on their masks.

At the top of the building, hoods pulled up, they saw the car take one of the main streets.

“She was here” Hinami says, suddenly “Well, in that building” she points to one beside them, taller than the one they are currently in, he can make out a good niche for hiding and watching at the top, so long as one wasn’t too big.

“Can you find a trail from here?” He asked her, eyes narrowing, they might not need to follow such a flimsy lead after all.

Hinami jumped towards the building and sniffed at the air, her mouth spread into a smile “Yes, I think so”

He shot the car a look and then sighed “We’re following that, then”

Reina’s trail led them across a bunch of back alleys and dark corners, he understood, of course, there weren’t always safe enough corners or tall enough buildings, and as she seemingly had wanted to get to wherever she was going undisturbed, she apparently resorted to hiding until no one was in the vicinity of some places. This was made obvious by the fact that even he could smell her at the top of a couple of buildings and at the mouths of some alleys.

However, it was better luck than anything else, or so he thought until he realized that it was just a very roundabout way to a place he’d seen before, albeit, not in person.

A giant tower rose above the fifth ward, taller than most of the buildings in a two block radio, and that was saying something. There were no lights on, though, and with the darkness that had already taken over the city’s sky, one could only make out the slight deformity of its tip, which looked as if some giant monster had taken a bite out of one side of it.

It had taken them around an hour and a half to reach the fifth –though of course, they hadn’t known they were going there- and if the towering building still stood and Reina was there, maybe Hinami had been right about Zhao wanting to go there for himself.

An hour was more than enough for the car to have gotten there.

Hinami stopped in front of him and he could picture the expression on her face, eyes wide open, lips slightly parted.

She was thinking the same as him.

“Ayato-kun, I smell blood” she said “And Reina-san is close”

He turned his head towards her, knowing she’d get the message etched across his face, even while he wore the mask.

Ayato nodded and they continue jumping from building to building, it only took a couple of blocks for the smell to become apparent to him too, fresh blood, and lots of it, and then, when they were just a couple of blocks from the tower, dust suddenly filled the air and the sound of debris falling down called his attention to the hole that had opened on the side of the building, at about half its height.

And the woman who had Just thrown herself off of it, the yellow eyes of her mask glittered in the night.

.

.

 _‘Pick them off, one by one, one by one, one by one.’_ It wasn’t hard, she just had to think methodically.

_‘Surprise, surprise, surprise’_

_‘The ones past the front door first, it locks from the inside and the ones outside don’t know yet’_ She was close so close. _‘The ones in the stairwell, then first floor, then second, don’t make noise, any noise.’_

There had been less and less over the last couple of floors, it was deadly silent.

Reina walked through the door that separated the service stairs and the corridor.

She was greeted by a charged weapon.

_‘Kill the fear, it doesn’t matter’_

.

.

“There are five up there” Hinami said, discarding her cloak, wig flying in the wind “And around seven down by the entrance”

Doing the same, Ayato readjusted his mask “The Special Class?”

“Upstairs, no clue if he’s alive”

Without any need for further communication, they both bolted downward, towards the place where Reina had seemed to fall, and where the noise of ensuing battle could be heard.

The bastard had been waiting for her to show, that was clear, if only by the amount of men, of guards. Reina had probably already ben in the building, though, from what he could see the battle outside had just begun.

He’d have to ask her wherever the hell she had gotten the info though, _after_ he throttled her for pulling a stunt like that one.

-While they’d been searching for her, he hadn’t allowed his anger to affect him, if only because he needed a clear head, but now it seemed to be bursting from his pores-.

She’d _drugged_ him, had he hated the doves any less he’d have hesitated to help.

-but he did and there was that silver of a doubt in his mind… maybe Hinami had heard wrong after all-

Anyways, he’d deal with that later.

She was in the same clothes from earlier sans the jacket that she must’ve tossed away before. Hair loose and matted with blood and her kagune drawn, encasing her arms from the shoulder down –partially covering what he could tell, was a pretty awful burn over her left shoulder and chest-.

And she danced.

She’d always fought like that, he recalled, it had just been a while since he saw her fight seriously, unrestrained.

She’d only managed to take down one of the seven.

Ayato breathed in deep, willing the anger –and the unexplainable betrayal- that coursed through his blood to simmer down, and as a Rinkaku was about to be pierced through her stomach, he entered the fray.

To her credit, she had the decency to seem surprised, as if he might’ve been expecting him not only to not find her, but to not even look for her. She had probably left him with the needle and all to make him madder.

As she had once said, he wasn’t easy to read or manipulate.

And he wasn’t about to let her show up the next morning at Aogiri with a severed head in hand, claiming it proof of her allegiance. Not only would it reflect poorly, she wasn’t even guaranteed to succeed.

Even if she had been just another useless one, it’d have brought hell down upon his head.

“You were supposed to not look for me” she hissed, in a rare break from the carnage.

Ayato growled, hands trembling and shards shooting out to pierce the chest of one of their attackers “You weren’t supposed to be this stupid” he snapped back. “Have you at least gotten rid of him already?”

Reina had the decency to seem dejected “He’s upstairs”

Only two left.

Reina dashed to the left, he to the right, by the building’s door, he saw Hinami checking the borders of the zone, where police tape hung uselessly around a couple of posts. He twisted his body backwards and barreled into the man with one of his legs outstretched.

The Koukaku fell from the man’s hands. His head, like a doll’s lolled backwards unnaturally

Something only classifiable as a thunderbolt broke through the door from the inside, almost striking Hinami on the leg. The investigators inside wasted no time to all but jump out, Quinque out and activated.

Three on five.

Decent.

“He has a Bikaku” Reina said gravely before dashing forward.

In the end it turned out that the lightning bolt hadn’t come from Zhao, but from one of the others, whose uniform placed at First Class and whom was closing in on Hinami along with another.

Tch idiots.

Ayato had to suppress a chuckle when the guy’s lightning hit Hinami’s upper Kagune and dissolved doing no harm to her whatsoever. And then got all but cut in half by the young woman’s lower kagune.

For all of her remaining gentleness, Hinami rarely hesitated anymore, only when she managed to feel some sympathy for the investigators –meaning when she knew they had families or they were too pathetic- she would. It was a far cry from the crybaby that had arrived to Aogiri because she most literally had no one else.

A good thing, as far as he was concerned, people like that were annoying. Their inability to work with the world as it was, did not belong in ghouls, they couldn’t afford to be so carefree.

His Kakugan flared again and he turned around, Reina had jumped towards the special class and there were two idiots barreling towards him, trying to make the distance as small as possible. They were probably thinking about his Kagune, how it might be easier to thin down that way.

Ayato laughed.

One of them caught him in the leg, only for him to boost himself up with the woman’s Quinque and deliver a swift kick to her unprotected side.

Though he could not hear it, the feel of ribs shattering under his leg was quite satisfying.

She fell to the ground, coughing and sputtering while her partner attacked Ayato with something that looked like a cross between a mace and a javelin.

The woman was done for it seemed though, her side was caved in unnaturally, and the more she tried to breathe, the more blood poured from between her lips.

The man swung at him, and Ayato found out that the whole point of the strangely shaped Quinque was that it extended and retracted when after a particularly hard swing which he was sure to have dodged, he found the thing thrusting through one of his wings.

Smiling, the CCG agent retracted the mace once again, this time almost dragging Ayato along with him until, with a creak, the wing gave way and the hole the Quinque had just made became large enough that it couldn’t be used for that.

Still, it threw him off balance.

It seemed more like a Rinkaku than a Koukaku, if it was so, he’d have a chance.

Ayato jumped backwards, over the woman’s body and almost to the place where Hinami was battling her remaining opponent and he retracted his Kagune, almost grimacing at the smirk that overtook the man’s face.

And then the Quinque was extending, shining in brilliant red.

With all of the strength of his legs, he jumped up and slightly forward at the last moment, his body twisted and turned until it was perfectly poised, and then his Kagune burst out of his back and for a second the world became a blur of color, his only focus on the red matter stretched thin below him and his leg came down on it.

It shattered spectacularly.

He’d been right, it _was_ a Rinkaku.

The smirk that slid off the CCG man’s face slipped on Ayato’s and he ran towards the now terrified man, who tried to retract his broken Quinque as fast as he could.

 _Not fast enough._ He thought, as one of his wings embedded itself all over the guy’s body –no sense in wasting RC cells- and blood cascaded out.

He turned around, Hinami was still busy and so was Reina.

For how the man looked, Zhao moved particularly fast, utilizing fancy footwork that allowed him to slip through even small cracks in her attacks.

His Quinque itself was a series of seemingly articulated blades that could as soon overlap one another as they could separate and form a half cage around his opponent, it was incredibly versatile, Ayato had to admit, but it was also -or at least, seemed- heavy enough that the man couldn’t move it optimally if he wasn’t holding it with both of hands.

It already had a few nicks all over its surface, though, and the guy was, once again chattering off in Chinese.

Reina seemed unfettered, like she had lost all regard for the man’s words and even closed her ears at their inconsequentiality, that is, until at a moment when she jumped forward, the blades at her forearms lengthening, prepared to be thrust down before he was able to shield himself with his Quinque, and instead of trying to do so, he raised his other arm and something dense and fast shot out of it.

No amount of ballerina twisting would’ve saved her completely at that range, but the projectile got her in the shoulder instead of the center of her chest.

It was an injury she should survive easily, he knew, besides, she’d gotten herself in that situation, even if he was more focused in getting their target than his anger at her at the moment that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to let her teach herself a lesson fighting Zhao.

Behind him, he could hear Hinami’s opponent hitting the ground and the victor kneeling down to feast on him.

Reina’s kagune climbed just a little further, enough to cover the newly created hole in her shoulder and start climbing up her neck.

He wondered how her kakugan looked then, Uta had made a smart choice with the mask, the fact that she was a one eyed ghoul remained well concealed.

She growled then, an unnatural sound, savage in a way.

Zhao started laughing, and his tone turned even more venomous, Ayato knew just about no Chinese, except for a couple of scattered words, learned when one or other person would curse in front of him.

 _‘Monster’_ Zhao had called her and she hadn’t even flinched, Reina simply dove straight forward, spitting out some sort of curse and attempting to get the man in the way of her kagune.

She managed to get him pretty deep on the side, and for a second, he thought that she might not even end up needing him to intervene. That is, until the man aimed at her with the arm cannon. She was prepared and jumped out of the way though.

The second shot hit her square in the stomach and proceeded to explode.

_‘What the…?!’_

Ayato rushed forward, seeing as she fell on one of her knee, panting, blood dripping down from behind the mask.

Much to Ayato’s surprise, the man switched to Japanese, an ugly smile taking over his face, one that spoke of contempt and perhaps a little of rancor “Our Reina has always known how to pick them” he said, as he allowed his bladed Quinque to expand into its full glory.

“Shut up” Ayato growled, before rushing in, understanding that once the thing was completely posed for attack, it’d be hard to get in close to the man without it catching him, and the guy would still have the advantage of a long range weapon.

Ayato needed to destroy that cannon.

The man laughed “No, really, it’s like she’s trying to find worse and worse” he said, while he watched Ayato propel himself up with his wings into a position where attacking him with the bladed kagune was impossible “But we’re going to make sure she stops being a nuisance this time for sure” Zhao raised the cannon arm.

And shot.

Ayato was prepared, despite the rage brewing deep in his belly, despite really wanting to just barge in arms first and strangle the fucker. He twisted his body to the left to avoid the first one, and by the time the second projectile reached him one of his wings was already poised to protect him.

He knew he was being taunted, he couldn’t show weakness “Worms like you shouldn’t try to talk” he said to Zhao instead.

The blast from the second projectile had knocked him back, just enough to be within the bladed Quinque’s range when he landed on the ground.

Wasting no time, he propelled himself to the side, extending his wings and barreling the man with shards of his kagune at a near point blank range.

The arm with the cannon Quinque managed to cover Zhao’s face and chest on time, but several shards went to sink deep in the man’s legs and his stomach –one even quite satisfactorily hitting the same place Reina had stabbed him in earlier.

Ayato smirked, until he realized that the long blades of the other kagune hadn’t stopped moving.

Well Fuck.

Zhao smiled and the sound of one Kagune clashing with another was heard as Ayato landed awkwardly, sprawling on the ground, rough concrete biting at his shoulder.

One of the wounds in his abdomen had reopened, that was bad.

Standing with blood still pouring generously from the wound in her abdomen was Reina, the kagune which had been covering up to the base of her neck had extended to form what almost comically looked like a turtle neck.

“Maggot!” she screamed “You will do nothing; I’ll die first”

Even her voice had turned inhuman.

The way things were going, he was going to have big problems even if they did manage to beat this man.

Fucking cannibals –never mind that he was an occasional one too- Ayato cursed everything and looked at them.

If Reina could distract him, he could barrel in and snap the guy’s neck.

In normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have doubted that such a thing would have entered her mind at the same time it had entered his, as it was however, she almost didn’t seem coherent enough.

But Zhao might do the work for him.

The man was laughing again, looking down at Reina with condescendence in his eyes “Dear, you won’t” he said, and Ayato began gathering himself. “Even tainted we’ll find use for you. I’m sure Yoshino will approve” his wings pulsed, shone, and he let anger take over.

The sound that left Reina’s chest then couldn’t be described as anything other than a roar.

“Once we’ve gotten rid of this pest, of course” he motioned in Ayato’s general direction. “You don’t think Haise Sasaki just went conveniently amnesiac after he was captured, do you?”

It was enough, she lunged forward, fingers turned into claws and Kagune slightly retracted.

Ayato too, shot from the place he’d been crouching in and as the great bladed kagune closed in on her, he prepared himself to twist his body so that the mere spin of it would help take the man’s head of his shoulder.

For a split second, the young ghoul observed the fear in the Special Class’ face, the flicker of certainty of a horror that the man was no longer able to escape.

Zhao had miscalculated.

And in a fashion that seemed all too familiar, once the realization had passed, knowing he wouldn’t survive the attack, he let go of the blade kagune and lifted the canon in Ayato’s direction.  “I’ll get rid of you” just as the blue haired man’s hands closed around his head.

And shot him at point blank.

Ayato saw one of Reina’s hands tear at the corpse’s chest, but her kagune never quite extended, instead, as the spin took him forward, she raced for him, the kagune around her neck and shoulders disintegrating.

He fell to the floor, decapitated head in his hands and all, registering the pain in his side and Hinami’s cry in the distance.

Reina knelt in front of him, mask askew on her face and hair matted with blood and tiny droplets of water.

Faintly, he could see lights in the distance and the shrill sound of sirens.

His ear pressed to the floor caught the footsteps too, rhythmical, powerful, heavy, enough men that even in good condition it would have been a challenge.

Reina and Hinami still could escape.

“Hinami, is there anywhere close that we can go?”

His vision turned hazy, he could only make out their voices at that point, and hands coming to lift him up.

“A safe house, about half a mile from here”

If anything, being a ghoul meant that most of them could carry one another, even when the one being carried was physically bigger or heavier, most ghoul bodies had upwards from three times the base strength as humans of the same size.

“Good” she paused “I’ll carry him, you get that cannon Quinque, arm and all”

Reina seemed to have that too.

“Reina-san”

“Please. We’ll need the meat, and if they catch up I’ll need the Quinque.’

Then there was wet ripping sound that seemed to drown out even the sirens, even the footsteps. And after it, nothing at all.

.

.

All things considered, they’d managed to avoid most of them.

She’d been told of worse situations, but this was the first time Hinami ended up in the midst of one, mostly because she wasn’t typically in the teams that fought, but rather, behind the lines, supplying info.

Retroactively, however, she decided she didn’t need to be again if she could avoid it.

She had guided Reina to the safe house, and helped carry Ayato the last couple of blocks when two white coats had come out of nowhere and Reina had asked her to carry him and go ahead while she strapped the stolen Quinque to her arm.

 _“I’ll find you”_ The older woman had said but so far, she hadn’t tried to access the house.

She looked down and wanted nothing more than to turn back time and wake up earlier that morning.

Ayato had a hole in his side, a hole, his lower ribcage had been blown right off and it wasn’t healing.

He needed to eat, he _had_ to…

Hinami steeled herself.

She had laid him down on the mattress that still bore the plastic cover -at least it would be easy to clean- and it crinkled and creaked as Hinami moved to squeeze at him, at one of the small injuries in his arm.

He winced at the sting, face scrunching up.

Good.

The man’s eyes didn’t open all the way “Hinami?” he groaned, before he gritted his teeth from the pain, and Hinami unhesitatingly handed him the severed arm.

In retrospect, she should’ve sawed it off at the shoulder rather than the elbow, there just had been no time.

Ayato’s kakugan activated after barely a second and Hinami let him have at the meat.

_‘Please let it be enough’_

_._

_._

He almost didn’t register Hinami, only what she put in his hands as soon as she realized that he was mostly aware.

A shrill sound filled the room and Hinami rose, saying something incomprehensible, she was out of the room in a second.

He dug in, his surroundings were strange and everything hurt like he had been shoved down a paper shredder, but the only thing at the moment was the flesh in front of him and the blood dripping down his jaw.

Once he had brought the arm down to the bone, he was slightly more aware, throwing the wet bones aside, he realized he was basically lying in a pool of his own blood and that the wound in his stomach hadn’t healed as much as he had hoped.

Ayato pushed himself up and yelped.

Hands were on him in a second, pushing his shoulders down and his legs into the plastic covering of the mattress. He looked up, expecting to find Hinami’s worried gaze.

He met stern grey eyes instead.

And anger surged from within him, the one he’d been suppressing all day in order to prevent both him and Reina from getting half-killed by the owl.

Ayato grit his teeth, suddenly speechless.

“It wasn’t enough” Reina said, hand skimming down to delicately brush against his injured side “I should have brought some from those last two. Fuck”

It was then that he found his voice and some strength in his arms. Ayato shoved her hands away “Don’t touch me” he grunted “Get out”.

He had every right to sort of want to throttle her and he knew it, just seeing her face then was about enough to make him see red. It wasn’t so much confusing as it was startling that an action of hers cut him so deeply, even if it hadn’t been a betrayal in the strict sense of the word, he felt the sting, familiar, somewhere in his chest.

Even if he sort of understood why.

“And I got rid of the bodies too” she muttered, as if she had not heard him.

“Get the fuck out Reina” he hissed, his head was starting to hurt, and each second the wound on his side stung more.

He felt dizzy.

Reina’s eyes softened then, despite the aggressive tone he was employing with her, they softened enough that it almost seemed as if she was about to cry “I’m- “she shook her head “No, what’s done is done.” she said, and shivering a little, she lifted her hands to her scarred shoulder and pushed the strap of her blood-matted shirt down, leaving more skin exposed.

His head had started to swim, Ayato looked up “Fuck off”

Reina just leaned forward in the chair “It wasn’t enough, right?” she said and he felt his self-control start to crumble “Go on. I just ate, I’d have brought back more, but I thought that arm would be eno- “

The primal side of his mind wasn’t having his pride apparently, a second later he found his teeth sinking into the flesh, not even tasting but just taking, taking the scarred skin that had been covering her shoulder and upper arm before. Reina didn’t make a sound, there was just a sharp intake of breath and an overall tightening of her whole body as he tore off a piece of her arm, and once he had drawn back, the wound had begun healing almost immediately.

She tasted bittersweet, similar yet different to the way she had way back when he’d first met her.

Ayato felt the change soon enough –after all, ghouls or half-ghouls did have higher RC density than humans- when the wound in his side started closing just slightly faster and he stopped bleeding altogether.

She was still sitting on that chair, watching him, although knowing her, she was itching for a bath.

Too bad they didn’t have clean clothes.

Ayato looked away “Where are we?” he asked, willing himself to stare at the carpet.

“Some safe house” she said softly “The ward is crawling with them”

“We’ll head out just before dawn then” he said, and turned to rest on his side on the blood soaked plastic. Ayato had slept in worse, it didn’t matter, and he wanted to be left alone. He hoped she’d get the message.

He heard a heavy sigh from her and a shuffling sound before one of her hands brushed over his shoulder. “Sorry” she said and Ayato kept his gaze fixed on the wall in front of him “I thought it was for the best”

Taking a deep breath, he spoke “I don’t want to hear it” he said “I don’t particularly care, pull that again and you’ll be on your own”

“Yeah” she said and the had brushed briefly over his hair before it disappeared altogether “I know, I should have let you kill him last night.”

The sound of the door closing behind Reina was deafening.

.

.

They headed out just a little before dawn, masks on and a silent as they could be.

Luckily, the search didn’t seem to have spread too far, but the perimeter that the CCG had established forced them to take a long detour.

None of them said anything through the whole thing.

Once they arrived at the base, Ayato barreled for his room, closing the door behind him hard enough to make the wall tremble.

For once, instead of just taking a shower to wash away the grime and blood off his skin and clothes, he let himself sink into the bathtub filled with steaming water that stung slightly at the newly healed skin over his wounds.

He needed a cigarette, or to scream.

Ayato took a deep breath, ducked his head under the water line and did just that.

It took until the water cooled off and became uncomfortable for him to get out.

 

.

.

 

“That’s good, darling, very good” the round face on the other side of the monitor and the other side of the earth beamed at her. The woman continued talking in English “Have you done well in school?”

“Yes mama, our classroom got a pet hamster this week, and I also got an A on my math test” he said, his red hair swayed and fell over his eyes.

“I see” she smiled at him “and you haven’t had any more rashes, darling?”

The little boy looked down “Well, there’s one in my back, according to Nana”

He was trying to play brave; the boy had inherited his father’s inability for lying “Does it hurt very bad?”

“A bit” he smiled toothily, sadly.

“And your legs?” it was a question that she had been dreading, she wasn’t one to believe in miracles, or ask for them, but with circumstances as they were, she’d take what she could get. “Has there been any progress?”

“The doc says it’s not reaching my arms, at least” he said, looking away. “So I can still play piano”

“Tadashi…” his eyes were fixated on something out of the frame, probably the crutch that he had been forced to use for about a year.

“They’re the same mama” then, the way only children could, he brightened up, and almost without a hitch, he switched to Japanese –quite a feat for a seven-year-old that had not in fact been raised in Japan, and he had a lot of drive too, sometimes, she cursed her luck- “Ne, mama, when you find my big sis, can you bring her home? I haven’t seen her since I was really, really little”

Her face probably turned to stone, because he flinched “Sure” she said, trying to remain playful “but that might take some time”

“I’ll have time to finish learning the concert then, and I’ll show it to her”

“I’m sure she’ll like it, love- “

Behind her, the door opened.

“Yoshino” his voice was more familiar to her than anyone else’s, if he had interrupted her, then it had to be something important “Oh sorry, I’ll come back later”

“Uncle Masato” Tadashi cheered from the screen

“Hey, there” he greeted.

“There’s no need” she said, noticing the tenseness in his shoulder and the grim expression that he tried to hide in Tadashi’s benefit “We’ll talk later, ok darling?”

The boy looked crestfallen “Ok mama” he said, “You’ll tell me about the bad guys you’ve killed next time, right?”

“Yes, darling” she said “Goodnight”

“Mama, it’s already morning here”

“Oh”

“Goodbye, and goodbye uncle Masato”

And he himself cut off the connection.

Sometimes, Akagi Yoshino wondered if fate had something to settle with her, mentally, Tadashi would’ve been the perfect heir, he was even the son of a respectable marriage of hers –that had ended very badly- but as the gods had had it; he would probably need a wheelchair a couple of years down the line, if he was lucky, he’d be able to keep playing the piano.

Instead, Reina had been born with a body undoubtedly inherited from her, always strong, always resilient and flexible, body wise, she was a perfect investigator, mind-wise, she was a mess. She had unfortunately been born with her father’s artistic inclinations –which had been what had drawn Yoshino to Julio in the first place, as a naïve twenty-year-old to a married man ten years her senior- her senses of morality and duty were screwed up, and she couldn’t be made to see reason once she had fixated on something –although that was something that the young woman had gotten from her, she’d admit-.

Although her impact in the family’s image wasn’t of much concern anymore, because she had no idea where she was.

Months had passed.

And no trace, it didn’t help that the incompetent mooks that were supposed to watch her didn’t know where she had been when she disappeared, -because whatever the incompetent idiots said, Yoshino was sure that something about it was fishy, unlike the one time she had actually run away; Reina had no one to run to, nothing she wanted, she knew her daughter well- and that after she’d been giving them the slip for a week.

She turned around fully, to face Masato.

His dark hair was as always slicked back and the grim frown on his face had become even deeper.

“What happened?”

“Zhao’s dead” that was one of the things that she liked the most about her childhood friend, he was always willing to do what she asked, even if it was ripping the bandage clean off “We lost most of the data, even Reina-chan’s investigation”

“Well, it’s not like we had much to go on in that front” she said, forcing the words to come up through the stunned haze that had taken over her “Who did it? Do we at least know that?”

“Actually, we have some security footage” he said, holding up a pen drive “From some office buildings in the fifth, although there weren’t any _surviving_ witnesses” he flinched.

“What was he doing in the fifth?” she said, stunned, there wasn’t anything her information gatherer had to do there, Aogiri wasn’t prevalent in that area, and Reina hadn’t been there much either.

She shrugged “Plug it in”

Masato slipped into the chair beside hers and quickly pulled up a video file.

Anyone else would’ve probably been more traumatized, and though tears did quite sting at the corners of her eyes, Yoshino was used to that.

The feed was grainy and dark, but she could make it out well enough.

“Aogiri’s Rabbit” she said, and Masato nodded “And the other?”

The second, clearly female form, had taken care of the first class and the rank 1 that had been accompanying Ube Kentaro she wore a red mask in some sort of animal design.

“It’s a Ghoul that appeared just last month, although this is the first time she’s seen using that Kagune” he said, pointing at the Koukaku that sprouted from the woman’s back, somehow not damaging her straight, black hair. “We’ve gone for a tentative of S for now”

She twirled and twisted and almost danced as she fought, making quick work of the investigators that she faced.

When the Special Class died –taking with himself a pretty big part of the rabbit’s ribcage- and the Rabbit spent the last of his energy destroying his Quinque, she offered him her shoulder to bite into –presumably to keep him from feasting and potentially getting caught, as sirens had started to flare up in the distance-.

Something about how she fought was extremely familiar.

Yoshino looked sideways at Masato.

It was all written in his expression –he had, after all, trained her daughter as much as she herself had-.

She wanted-

Nothing.

“You see it too, don’t you?”

“It’s just a speculation- “

“Of course, it is” she said, cutting him off. “But just in case, I’m going to find that Ghoul”

The warm weight of his hand fell on her shoulder, and Yoshino shivered, Masato knew her better than anyone, had since she was a child, sometimes she hated it, sometimes she was thankful, this time, the feeling was in between.

 “No you aren’t” he said “ _We_ are”

**(lies the real world)**

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any comments and/or criticism are warmly appreciated!

**Author's Note:**

> I figured I'd cross post.  
> Also, I have no Idea how to use AO3 please forgive possible -and probable- fuck ups  
> Comments make me happy :3


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